Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
 

COVID-19 Testing and Treatment Guidance

COVID-19 Testing

Testing is only recommended for people with symptoms who are at high risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 and need to know if they have COVID-19 for medical care (e.g. treatment). Your healthcare provider will determine if you need testing and treatment.

If you had a laboratory test for COVID-19, you can access your results at the Shared Health portal: https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/test-results/.


Antiviral Treatments

Antiviral treatments for COVID-19, such as Paxlovid, may be recommended to prevent severe illness in certain individuals at high risk of becoming seriously ill. For example, Paxlovid may be recommended for adults who have symptoms and have a moderately to severely weakened immune system. Your health care provider can let you know whether treatment is recommended based on your health history. To be effective, treatment with Paxlovid must be started within five days of your symptoms starting. If you are at high risk of severe illness, it is best to call your health care provider as soon as you start having symptoms.

Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care (MHSLTC) will cover the cost of Paxlovid under the Manitoba Enhanced Pharmacare Program (MEPP) if you:

  • have an active Manitoba Health card,
  • are not eligible for 100 per cent coverage through federal drug programs (for example, Non-Insured Health Benefits) or other provincial drug programs (including Employment and Income Assistance, Personal Care Home and Palliative Care Drug Access Program),
  • are prescribed Paxlovid, and
  • meet clinical eligibility criteria for Paxlovid indicated in the Manitoba Drug Benefits Formulary.

Additional information regarding MEPP is available here: manitoba.ca/health/pharmacare/mfpp.html. A complete list of eligible MEPP medications, including Paxlovid, is available here: manitoba.ca/health/pharmacare/profdocs/mepp-drug-list.pdf

If you are enrolled in any provincial drug plan other than MEPP where deductibles do not apply, or a federal drug plan, you may be able to access coverage through those programs.

Other COVID-19 treatments may also be used for people at high risk of severe disease and those hospitalized with severe disease. Health care providers can get more information at https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/providers/


After Treatment or If you have Symptoms and are not Tested

After receiving COVID-19 treatment, or if you have respiratory symptoms and are not tested, follow public health guidance to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections.