The provincial government will not be distributing free COVID rapid tests to all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, despite continued calls to do so.

Rapid test kits have been distributed through the province’s K-12 school system, post-secondary institutions, day cares, health care facilities, long-term care homes and shelters.

Health Minister John Haggie addressed the matter during an unscheduled briefing Tuesday afternoon. He claims the province is not limiting the eligibility criteria for a PCR test and says people who have symptoms, or are a contact of a confirmed COVID case, need to follow the flow chart .

Haggie says the province had to be strategic in how the rapid tests were distributed publicly.