Delivering COVID self-tests through GetaKit.ca: Creating testing access during a pandemic

ObjectivesTo determine the real-world outcomes associated with using the GetaKit.ca website to distribute COVID self-tests to persons with risk factors, with a focus on facilitating testing for persons who are Black, Indigenous, or of Colour (BIPOC). MethodsGetaKit was an open cohort observational study to distribute free self-tests, starting with HIV self-testings and then adding the Lucira Check-It (R) COVID self-test. Participants would register on our website and complete a risk assessment, which would calculate their need for each type of testing. ResultsFocusing on the COVID self-tests, from September to December 2021 (with targeted outreach in winter 2022), we distributed 6474 COVID self-tests to 3653 persons through 4161 unique orders, of which 47% came from BIPOC participants. Compared to white participants, BIPOC participants were more likely to have been a contact of COVID but less likely to be vaccinated. As well, 69% of results were reported back via the GetaKit.ca website, with 5.3% of these being positive. The positivity rate for our 3653 participants was 9.6%. ConclusionsDelivering COVID self-tests via our website provided tests to BIPOC communities and yielded positivity rates that matched local COVID testing centres. This highlights the utility of such systems for delivering testing during future pandemics.