Nanaimo Firm Approved by College of Physicians And Surgeons
NANAIMO – A Central Vancouver Island company is at the leading edge of rapid COVID-19 testing prior to passengers boarding flights.
CVM Medical Ltd., based in Nanaimo and led by CEO Graham Williamson, is the first company approved for Rapid Antigen Testing in BC.
Michelle Stillwell
CVM Medical Ltd. was approved by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, Diagnostic Accreditation Program (DAP) for Rapid Antigen Testing in the spring. The firm uses the BD Veritor Rapid Antigen Test to perform on-the-spot, point-of-care testing to detect the presence of COVID-19, with results available to customers within 15 minutes.
CVM has testing clinics in Nanaimo, Vancouver and Calgary, and they also perform other testing for clients.
COVID testing clinics are located in Vancouver, Calgary and Nanaimo. Michelle Stilwell, MLA for the provincial Parksville-Qualicum riding from 2013-2020, is the Director of Rapid Testing for CVM. A six-time Paralympic gold medalist, she is a former Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation and Government Caucus Chair.
Following their DAP approval for rapid antigen testing, CVM signed an agreement with Vancouver International Airport and KLM Airlines to begin rapid testing all KLM passengers departing for Amsterdam. The CVM Medical rapid testing solution is currently being employed by mining companies and private aviation interests for crew rotations to remote worksites, as well as for essential travellers on flights bound for the USA.
CEO Graham Williamson also founded the Lifesupport Group of Companies in 2005 that includes air medical and emergency services. The firm has four fully dedicated air ambulance aircraft, including long-range Challenger and Falcon jets, and they have medical staff bases in Nanaimo, Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and Frankfurt, Germany.
In Canada, travel agencies are reporting soaring international bookings, but quarantine for returning travellers is the top factor holding back people from taking trips. In terms of airline seat capacity, Canada has fallen seven spots in the world rankings, with capacity down roughly 80 per cent.
The Canadian Airports Council has advised that Canada’s aviation sector would benefit from deploying a recovery agenda compatible with that already initiated by the U.S., where 60 per cent of those who have travelled overseas hope to go abroad again in 2021. Industry experts also agree that the longer the recovery, the more difficult it will be for Canada’s airlines to compete in international aviation markets.
