Ichor Blood Services and Stagezero Life Sciences Launches Covid-19 Virtual PCR Testing Program for Canadians Returning Home from the US
January 13, 2021 at 08:00 am EST
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Ichor Blood Services and StageZero Life Sciences launched COVID-19 virtual PCR testing program that allows travellers to complete a 99.99% accurate RT-PCR test from anywhere in the world that FedEx Express operates. The program will initially be available for Canadians returning home from US destinations, with future plans to expand to other international destinations. Ichor has been conducting virtual PCR testing since September 2020, and has recently made improvements to its logistics operations, which has alllowed the company to scale up and launch the program to a larger service area. The cost of the program is $225 per person, plus a $30 shipping fee per order, which is waived for 3 or 4 person kit orders. Online sales start January 13th, and customers will also have the ability to purchase kits at select DrugSmart Pharmacy locations and Ichor Blood Services office locations beginning February 15th. DrugSmart Pharmacy has a location in Pearson International Airport to service outbound passengers, and is working with Ichor to get vending machines set up at other airports around the country. Before leaving Canada, travellers can purchase 1 to 4 person test kits at remotecovidtesting.ca Purchased kits are mailed to the customer and brought with them with them to their US destination. Each kit contains the number of saliva collection devices purchased and instructions on how to register and schedule a video witnessing appointment. Shipping instructions and pre-paid return shipping labels addressed to Stage Zero are also included. Travellers are encouraged to purchase their kits well in advance of their trip. To return to Canada, travelers need to provide a saliva sample 72 hours prior to their departure. To meet this requirement, travellers will be required to participate in an online video meeting with mobile phlebotomists/nurses to complete their test. Once competed and witnessed, travelers will need to package their sample(s) and drop them off at an authorized FedEx location. To prevent unauthorized, unwitnessed shipments, participants will be given a randomized 3 letter code that changes daily to write on their specimen label as a way of letting the lab know the sample has been verified. Results will be emailed directly to travelers via encrypted email in 24-60 hours, at which point they will be able to board their flight home.
StageZero Life Sciences, Ltd. is a Canada-based vertically integrated healthcare company. The Company is focused on improving the early detection and management of cancer and other chronic diseases through diagnostics telehealth programs. Its lead product, Aristotle, is a mRNA multi-cancer panel for simultaneously screening for multiple cancers from a single sample of blood with high sensitivity and specificity for each cancer. The Care Oncology Clinic offers a supervised treatment regimen for people diagnosed with cancer of any type or stage. AVRT is a physician-led, telehealth program for identifying and managing the early warning signs of cancer and chronic disease. Its program includes a comprehensive online health evaluation; bloodtests to measure markers of inflammation and metabolism; an initial physician consultation; regular physician follow-up appointments and interval screening. Its additional cancer diagnostics include ColonSentry and the Prostate Health Index.