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Please find attached a memo to inform you that the Rapid Antigen Test Public Distribution Program is being extended beyond December 31, 2022 and until June 30, 2023.
You will note in the memo that the terms and conditions of the existing contracts, including the cost-recovery model and reimbursement rate, will be maintained. Those who extend their participation in the program will have net-new contracts established.
Retailers can confirm their extended participation or discontinuation of their participation by completing the template attached to this email and submitting to publicaccess.rapidtest@ontario.ca by December 9, 2022.
TEMPLATE
Individual meetings with retailers can be accommodated as needed by reaching out to: Alison.Kernoghan@ontario.ca. Please note that the new contact for any correspondence on RAT supply and shipments is Jalal Quraishy who can be reached at Jalal.Quraishy@Ontario.ca.
We greatly appreciate your participation thus far and hope to continue this important partnership.
Sincerely,
Fredrika
Fredrika Scarth
Director, Testing Strategy Coordination
Pandemic Response and Recovery
Ministry of Health
647-921-7072
This memo is to inform you that the Rapid Antigen Test Public Distribution Program (program) is being extended beyond December 31st, 2022, and until June 30th, 2023. This program extension will help to support ongoing access to free rapid antigen tests (RATs) for Ontarians, particularly as we move through this challenging flu and respiratory virus season.
The Ministry of Health (Ministry) launched the program on February 9th, 2022. The program has been highly successful to date thanks to your partnership and commitment to distribute RATs through your participating retail locations. Over 124 million tests have been deployed by participating retailers since the start of the program, providing reassurance and an added layer of protection to Ontarians.
In August of 2022, the Ministry introduced a cost-recovery approach to compensate grocery and pharmacy retailers for basic distribution costs until the previous program end date of December 31st, 2022. As the Ministry pursues this program extension, new contracts will be executed for participating retailers and distributors. The terms and conditions of the existing contracts, including the cost-recovery model and reimbursement rate, will be maintained.
Individual meetings with retailers can also be accommodated as needed by reaching out to: Alison.Kernoghan@ontario.ca. Confirmation of ongoing participation will be sought by early December.
Thank you again for your support throughout this initiative and we look forward to continuing this important partnership.
Sincerely,
Fredrika Scarth
Fredrika Scarth
Director
Testing Strategy Coordination Branch, Pandemic Response and Recovery, Ministry of Health
Cc: Alison Blair, Associate Deputy Minister, Pandemic Response and Recovery, Ministry of Health
Jackie Korecki, Assistant Deputy Minister, Supply Chain Ontario, Ministry of Public and
Business Service Delivery
Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health
Dr. Fiona Kouyoumdjian, Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health
Dr. Vanessa Allen, Medical Director, Provincial Diagnostic Network, Ontario Health
Michele Henry, Operational Director, Provincial Diagnostic Network, Ontario Health
Brigitte Marleau, Director, Program Support, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
Kinney Butterfield, Director, COVID Agri-Food Secretariat Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
