Milton, ON – The Milton Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Milton have joined forces to provide free self-screening kits to small and medium-sized businesses who employ up to 150 employees throughout the Town of Milton.
The goal of the program is to identify asymptomatic or presymptomatic individuals and prevent them from spreading COVID-19 in the workplace, at home, and around the community.
“It has been a difficult and uncertain year for our business community. The free distribution of rapid screening tests will provide much-needed support to assist in the safe reopening of our local economy” says Milton Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Scott McCammon.
SMEs can visit miltonchamber.ca/chambersafe, and order a two-week supply of Abbott Panbio Antigen screening kits using a simple Google Form.
Employers are required to appoint a representative who will be responsible for supervising the self-screening process. Appointed supervisors are required to receive video training to properly supervise the testing process and for safe disposal guidelines of the used tests. The kits will be available for pick-up, by appointment only, at Hugh Foster Hall located at 141 King Street in Milton. The site will open May 11th and operate weekly, Tuesday through Wednesday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
SME’s are required to electronically submit screening results at miltonchamber.ca/chambersafe after each test. Accumulated data will be reported to the appropriate government officials. It is recommended that staff be screened twice weekly.
In the event of a positive test, the employee is required to immediately leave the workplace and notify public health to arrange for a PCR Test at an approved Public Health Collection Site and await further instructions from Public Health.
“While these have been challenging times throughout the pandemic, we have seen our business community pivot to address modernizing aspects of their business, or altering their service delivery channels, all to meet the public health guidelines and sustain business,” said Milton Mayor Gord Krantz. “We recognize the resiliency of our business community and our hope is that these self-screening kits allow businesses to keep operating so Milton residents can continue to shop local.”
