Procurement of serologic tests: Committee of the Whole—July 8, 2020
Document navigation for "Committee of the Whole: July 8, 2020"
On this page
Context
The Government of Canada launched the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force to measure the scope of coronavirus infection in Canada and provide information needed to manage the pandemic and safely get Canadians back to work.
Note
Questions regarding the mandate and activities of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force will be responded to by the minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.
Suggested response
- The Government of Canada is committed to determining the extent of COVID-19 immunity in the population and in subgroups such as healthcare workers, the elderly and Indigenous populations
- The department has begun procuring serologic tests that are designed to help identify how widely the virus has spread in Canada and provide reliable estimates of potential immunity and vulnerabilities in Canadian populations
- The department has procured 140,000 tests as well as equipment and lab consumables to support the Immunity Task Force and we are working to have these items delivered as quickly as possible
- Procured items began to arrive June 19 2020. There is sufficient supply of all required items with no risk of shortage
If pressed on funding and funds spent:
- the Government of Canada approved the use of up to 300 million dollars to support activities related to serological surveillance and research in Canada under the direction of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force. This includes funding for the procurement of serology tests and related items
If pressed on why there are only orders for the Abbott platform:
- a total of 140,000 Abbott Laboratories serological test kits have been procured to support serological studies conducted under the auspices of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force
- As demand for serology tests increase, the Government of Canada will procure additional Health Canada approved tests and related equipment as requested by the task force
- Abbott Laboratories has a strong supply chain and currently there is sufficient supply of all required items with no risk of shortage
Background
Serology testing (collecting and testing blood samples for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2) of large numbers of people will provide the data needed to understand the scale of infection in the Canadian population.
This approach will help us capture not only symptomatic individuals, but also asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic people who we are not aware of, as they did not seek healthcare. The importance of coordinated, rapid and representative national surveys cannot be understated. They provide critical information on the current spread of COVID-19, and help us prepare for possible future waves of infection, both in the general population or vulnerable groups.
Knowledge of the level of immunity in the general population, and in at risk populations such as the elderly and healthcare workers, will guide important public health decisions and immunization strategies once a vaccine becomes available. Serological testing is the key to developing this knowledge.
The COVID-19 Immunity Task Force aims to catalyze, support, and, where appropriate and feasible, harmonize the design and rapid implementation of population-based studies that will generate first estimates of COVID-19 immunity, overall and in priority populations across Canada. Public Services and Procurement Canada is working in close collaboration with the Immunity Task Force to identify any required procurement.
The task force will deliver a coordinated serologic survey agenda, and rapidly provide results to federal, provincial and territorial decision-makers as the basis for managing the COVID-19 epidemic in the near and medium term.
On May 12, 2020, Health Canada authorized the first of a number of anticipated commercial serological tests for COVID-19, which will allow the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force to focus on processes to initiate testing of samples in the serosurvey studies.
Document navigation for "Committee of the Whole: July 8, 2020"
Page details
- Date modified: