Defence Minister Anita Anand, an Oakville MP, self-isolating after staffer gets COVID-19

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By Nathan Sager

December 15, 2021 at 10:38 pm

Anita Anand, the federal Liberal defence minister who is Oakville’s member of Parliament, is self-isolating after one her staff members tested positive for COVID-19.

Perhaps notably, Anand said the staff member initially discovered they had COVID-19 by using a rapid antigen test (RAT). The availability of the tests in Ontario has become a contentious issue. For instance, some school boards are providing them to students but not to teachers per Ministry of Education policy, while others have paid extra to give them to teachers. Until recently, many Ontario residents could only get an RAT by paying $40 at a pharmacy.

With Omicron rapidly becoming the dominant variant in Ontario, the provincial government has begun holding pop-up rapid testing centres, where people can pick up a package of RATs. There were also reports that RATs will be made available for free at over 650 LCBO stores across the province.

A PCR test confirmed Anand’s staffer had the virus.

“I have received two negative test results since then,” Anand said on social media.

Anand decided to postpone a trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Instead, they met virtually.

“I have and will continue to self-isolate while following public health guidance to protect the health and safety of Canadians,” she said.

Yesterday, one of my staff tested positive for COVID-19 after using a rapid antigen test. I have received two negative test results since then.

Out of an abundance of caution, I decided to postpone a trip to Washington, D.C. and met with @SecDef Lloyd Austin today virtually.

— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) December 16, 2021

I have and will continue to self-isolate while following public health guidance to protect the health and safety of Canadians.

The team member, who is also self-isolating, received a positive PCR test result this afternoon.

— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) December 16, 2021

Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Tuesday that two of her staffers tested positive for COVID-19 after having RATs. Freeland gave a fiscal update virtually, while stating she had tested negative for COVID-19.

A party official told The Canadian Press on Wednesday that Liberal MPs have been informed that they are to abide by the public health advice and avoid non-essential international travel. That request has also been made of all Canadians as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads.

The New Democratic Party’s MPs have also been told to stay home, but the opposition Conservative Party of Canada has said MPs are free to travel internationally.

— With files from The Canadian Press