PREPARED is a national research study to help prepare Canada for the next pandemic.

The study is led by Dr. Andrew Pinto, director of the Upstream Lab at St. Michael’s Hospital (Unity Health Toronto), in collaboration with researchers across the country.

We aim to build a national early warning system to alert Canadians about the spread of new and existing respiratory illnesses that have the potential to become a public health emergency or a pandemic.

Beginning in Fall 2025, we are monitoring which respiratory viruses are circulating in our communities by offering free tests (Rapid Antigen Tests [RAT] and polymerase chain reaction [PCR] tests) to people who have symptoms of a respiratory infection (such as COVID, Influenza A, Influenza B, Adenovirus, and RSV) in participating emergency departments, primary care clinics, and pharmacies.

We will soon be offering free rapid at-home test kits for COVID to eligible members of the public in certain Toronto postal codes.

Learn more about our study in the Frequently Asked Questions below.

FAQ

What does PREPARED stand for?
Our research study is called PREPARED, which stands for: Pandemic Preparedness Engaging Primary Care and Emergency Departments.

Why are you doing the PREPARED research study?
Pandemics like COVID-19 and SARS, and outbreaks like bird flu and mpox, have shown us that Canada needs to do much more to prepare for future health emergencies. To this end, PREPARED has four main objectives:

1. Identify new viruses and detect future pandemics
2. Improve patient care and rapid testing for multiple viruses
3. Accelerate the development of treatments, vaccines and diagnostic tests
4. Link patients to clinical trials, such as our upcoming adaptive platform trial called TreatResp

When and where is PREPARED taking place?

• Free rapid testing for respiratory viruses launched in Ontario and Alberta in September 2025 and in Québec, Newfoundland and British Columbia in November 2025.
• PREPARED will also launch in Manitoba in Fall 2025. A pilot study called AIM-Viral is currently underway in Manitoba.

Who is eligible to participate in the PREPARED research study?

You may be eligible for our research study if:

• You’re age 18+ or age 5+, depending on province
• You’ve had at least two of the following respiratory symptoms in the past seven days:
  • Rhinitis (ex. runny nose or sneezing)
  • Cough
  • Wheezing
  • Sore throat
  • Nasal congestion
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fatigue
  • Rapid breathing
  • Excessive mucus production
  • Loss of smell or taste
  • Hemoptysis (ex. coughing up blood)
  • Trouble sleeping or insomnia due to breathing difficulties
  • Fever >37.5°C, chills or night sweats

Who are the PREPARED researchers and partners?
Dr. Andrew Pinto, director of the Upstream Lab at St. Michael’s Hospital (Unity Health Toronto), is the lead scientist for the PREPARED research study, in partnership with researchers from across Canada. View our team and partners. 

Who is funding PREPARED?
PREPARED is funded by the Canada Biomedical Research Fund.

How can I get updates about PREPARED?
Please sign up for the PREPARED newsletter.

Who do I contact for more information about PREPARED?
If you have any questions, please contact prepared@unityhealth.to

Unity Health Toronto Research Ethics Board # 24-161