Health Canada Asks Weed Industry for Help with COVID-19 Testing
BY CHRIS MOORE | MERRYJANE.COM | MAR 30, 2020
Cannabis testing labs are evaluating whether they can help test for coronavirus infections, while legal weed producers are donating masks, gloves, and other protective equipment to medical staff.
Canada's legal cannabis industry is stepping up to help fight the ongoing coronavirus pandemic by donating protective equipment and testing services to the medical community.
Last week, Health Canada (HC) sent an email to licensed cannabis testing laboratories asking for assistance with COVID-19 testing. "Health Canada is working to identify lab capacity that might be available across the country in various sectors, including at licensed cannabis production sites, to assist with supporting COVID-19 testing," wrote Acting Director General Joanne Garrah, according to BNN Bloomberg.
Canadian health officials are struggling to keep track of the spread of this virus, but gaps in testing are making it difficult to identify the total number of cases. Supply shortages and lack of properly-trained medical professionals are causing delays in the testing process, and many patients have been forced to wait weeks for their test results. These testing delays make it hard to keep an accurate count of the total number of cases, leaving health officials uncertain about how fast the illness is spreading.