OTTAWA -- The Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Task Force has announced changes to appointment bookings for both the CHEO Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena and the COVID-19 drive-thru testing centre.

Appointments are mandatory for all COVID-19 testing in Ottawa and across Ontario.

The CHEO Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena will now release appointments at 7 p.m. for the next day, instead of 8:30 p.m.

For testing at the COVID-19 drive-thru testing centre on Coventry Road, same day appointments are now available. The task force says residents can get a COVID-19 test at the drive-thru assessment centre within two hours of making an appointment.

COVID-19 testing appointments are also available online for the COVID-19 Care Clinics on Moodie Drive, Heron Road and the Ray Friel Location. There's also appointments for the COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena for adults.

The COVID-19 Testing Task Force reports 1,547 swabs were taken at the assessment centres in Ottawa on Oct. 27.