Looking for a rapid COVID-19 test in the Fraser Health region? This non-profit can help

Rapid COVID-19 tests are currently hard to come by in British Columbia but a Lower Mainland non-profit is trying to change that in the Fraser Health region,at least.

Engaged Communities Canada Society (ECCS) helpsmembers of under-served communities access health-care and socio-economic supports and hasrecently started distributingtake-home, rapid COVID-19 test kits for free to residents living within the boundaries of that health authority.

The kits are available to anyone living in the health region, which stretches from Burnaby to Hope, with locations for pickup changing daily.ECCSexecutive directorUpkar Tatlaysuggests people watch the society's Facebook, Instagram and Twitterfeedsto find out when and where they can come get a kit.

"People really do want to have agency over their health ... we're just trying to do our best to make sure that we continue to empower them," Tatlay told CBC's The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn on Tuesday.

Each kit includes 25 Health Canada-approved tests, withinstructions available in multiple languages. Using a nasal swab, the tests can tell in about 15 minutes if a person has COVID-19.

Tatlayrecommendsasymptomatic residents test themselves twice weekly to ensure they are not unknowingly moving around the community while infected.

Region under COVID restrictions

Last week, regional health restrictions wereintroduced in the eastern Fraser Valley due toa spike in casesand low vaccination rates.

The new regional public health order covers Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope, Mission and Agassiz-Harrison.

Officials said those communities are seeing a surge in the number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 particularly those who are not vaccinated and the caseload is putting a strain on regionalhospitals.

Private gatherings in the east of thevalley are now limited to five additional people or one additional household, while outdoor gatherings are limited to10people and organized events like weddings are limited to 10 people, or 50 outside, unless all participants are fully vaccinated.

Tatlay saysthe society is working alongside Fraser Health to determine where they will deploy in the coming days and will beprioritizing COVID hot spots.

"We're trying to be where the community is rather than have them come out to us," he said. "I can't provide exact locations just yet, but I can indicate that North Surrey, Newton, West Abbotsford, Chilliwack these are all locations that you'll be able to find us."

In the U.K. and Germany,free rapid testsare available from the government through the mail and at pharmacies.

The trade-off with rapid tests,compared topolymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests considered the "gold standard" in testing for COVID-19 is that while they give results in minutes compared to hours, they are not as accurate.