The government of Canada purchased 7.6 million rapid tests for COVID-19 from Becton Dickinson

In the middle of November, 2020 it became known that the Ministry of Health of Canada purchased 7.6 million rapid tests for COVID-19 from producer of diagnostic means Becton Dickinson. This test was approved by regulators of Canada in October and is carried out on the Veritor Plus analyzer of the size of the mobile phone with obtaining result in 15 minutes. Canada also decided to buy up to 2172 analyzers in addition.

Becton Dickinson refused to open financial terms of transaction. According to the company, early deliveries will probably begin at the end of November, 2020 and will be in addition increased in March, 2021. Demand for rapid tests for COVID-19 quickly grows around the world together with increase in number of infected. Though in Canada during a pandemic of case went better, than to the USA, in November the country faced new splash in an infection. As the strategy of actions during a pandemic depends on early detection of a disease, citizens criticize the government of Canada for the fact that the health care system relies upon rapid tests insufficiently.

The government of Canada purchased 7.6 million rapid tests for COVID-19 coronavirus from Becton Dickinson

The chief physician of Canada Theresa Tam said that from more than 264,000 confirmed cases in the country, about 10,500 of which led to death, nearly 40,000 cases are characterized by an active infection. According to her, at the end of October the frequency of positive results of tests in the country was nearly 5%, i.e. the most part of cases of an infection probably and will remain unaccounted.

The government of Canada relies not only upon deliveries of Becton Dickinson: at the end of September and in October the government bought several million rapid tests from Abbott Laboratories. Also the Ministry of Health of the Netherlands which at the beginning of November bought 9.2 million tests for antigens which will be delivered by June, 2021 from Becton Dickinson does not lag behind Canada. Becton Dickinson produces about 8 million tests a month, and by March is going to increase production capacities to 12 million tests a month.^[1]

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