COVID-19 Testing and Care Information

PCR testing and access to antiviral therapy is available through many local pharmacies, visit the province's website for more information.

For assessment of COVID-19 symptoms or respiratory illness, please visit your primary care provider or go to a walk-in clinic.

If you have symptoms but are not eligible for PCR testing, assume you have COVID-19 and follow the steps for what to do if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19.

• Self-isolate and follow the instructions in this COVID-19 assessment tool. 
• You will get a recommendation on what to do next.

• Visit the Province of Ontario's website to access PCR COVID-19 test results. 

Most people who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection will have some immunity to protect against future infection or to make a future infection less severe. However, reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19 is possible. For this reason, NACI (the National Advisory Committee on Immunization) recommends that COVID-19 vaccines be offered to individuals who have previously been infected with COVID-19. 

Although the COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Canada are effective, protection from COVID-19 takes time to develop. You should not assume that you will be protected right away. Also, no vaccine is 100% effective - there will be a small percentage of people who will remain unprotected despite being vaccinated and vaccines may not protect against all variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. 

PCR Test after infection:

Continuing to test positive after recovery from COVID-19 infection is common, with some people still testing positive on a PCR test for weeks or months after their initial infection. This is because the PCR test is detecting viral remains that are no longer living and unable to cause infection. This means you are no longer contagious. Therefore, it is not recommended that individuals without symptoms undergo PCR testing for at least 90 days after the initial COVID-19 infection. If the person develops new symptoms of COVID-19 within that 90 day period, consultation with a health care provider is recommended to help with the decision on whether to do further testing. Note that individuals who develop new symptoms of COVID-19 should complete the provincial screening tool and follow the isolation and mask use instructions provided.

Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) after infection:

Rapid antigen tests (RAT) are generally less sensitive to the virus than PCR tests and work better in symptomatic people.  The sensitivity of the test can be increased by doing a combined oral (mouth) and nasal (nose) swab, and repeating the test 24-48 hours after the initial test. If a person tests positive using a rapid antigen test, they should follow isolation and mask use guidelines.

By 10 days after developing symptoms or testing positive (20 days if immune compromised), there are very few people who have any remaining viable virus – which means they are no longer contagious. 

After testing positive for COVID-19 on either a PCR test or RAT, individuals can begin participating in RAT screening programs (e.g., workplace programs that test for COVID-19 infection regularly in those without symptoms) 30 days after the initial COVID-19 infection. If the person develops new symptoms of COVID-19 during the 30 day period following a positive RAT, consultation with a health care provider is recommended to help with the decision on whether to do further testing. Note that individuals who develop new symptoms of COVID-19 should complete the provincial screening tool and follow the isolation and mask use instructions provided.