GNWT at-home COVID-19 student testing program to include younger children

K'alemi Dene School in Ndilǫ. (CKLB file photo)

The territorial government’s pilot project to test students at home for COVID-19 will now include children as young as 4-years old.

The project was initially proposed to have 10 per cent of students aged 5 to 11 randomly chosen to be tested at home to screen them before going to school.

“This change was made in response to requests from parents expressing concern that their children, who are under 5-years-old, were being excluded from the program,” reads a news release from the Department of Health and Social Services.

The program will be offered at 12 schools in Hay River, Behchokǫ̀, Inuvik, Yellowknife, Ndilǫ and Dettah.

The release adds that Pfizer-BioNTech has applied to Health Canada to offer its vaccine to children between five and 11-years old.

About the Author

Francis Tessier-Burns
Francis was a reporter with CKLB from January 2019 to March 2023. In his time with CKLB, he had the immense pleasure and honour of learning about northern Indigenous cultures.