Sask. family says 'frozen' COVID-19 test kits received upon return to Canada
A family who returned to Saskatchewan from a road trip in the United States say they were given invalid tests for a follow-up requested at the border.
Marcel Gaddie Jahnke and his family presented negative PCR tests at the North Portal border crossing, but were randomly selected for follow-up tests at home.
“We got back home, scheduled our online tests, opened the boxes and they were frozen. That was Wednesday, January 5. They sent us new tests for new tests. They came Monday the 9th or 10th I believe and they were also frozen so we ordered more,” Gaddie Jahnke told CTV News.
The kits come with a device that detects freezing, which makes them invalid. The issue has been resolved by removing the detection stickers from the box.
So far, one replacement test kit has arrived in the mail with three more still to come.
“This is the first one that says freeze tag inside that was delivered. This is the last one they delivered. No freeze tag inside,” Gaddie Jahnke described.
Other Saskatchewan residents selected for random testing at North Portal have reported the same problem.
The Public Health Agency of Canada said it cannot discuss specific cases due to privacy concerns.
The family marked 14 days since their return to Canada on Wednesday. They are still awaiting the new test kits in the mail.
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