Long lines for COVID-19 testing in Ottawa on Friday, with west-end care clinic at capacity by 9 a.m.

OTTAWA -- One of Ottawa's COVID-19 testing centres reached capacity shortly after opening on Friday, as hundreds of people lined up across the city for a novel coronavirus test.

The Queensway-Carleton Hospital announced at 9 a.m. that the West COVID-19 Care Clinic on Moodie Drive had reached "maximum capacity" and would not be taking additional visitors for the day.

IMPORTANT COVID-19 TESTING NOTICE:

The West COVID-19 Care Clinic on Moodie has reached maximum capacity and is not taking additional visitors for the day.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. pic.twitter.com/qMjVOvYsjM

— Queensway Carleton Hospital and Foundation (@QCHOttawa) September 18, 2020

The West COVID-19 Care Clinic is scheduled to be open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.  Photos on social media showed people lined up along Moodie Drive waiting for a test before the clinic opened on Friday.

8:30am at Moodie testing centre!!People lined up for hours to come including parents with children! Has to be a better way - appointment option? More testing centres? And more testing capacity (waiting 5 days for results is too long!) @fordnation @JimWatsonOttawa @VeraEtches pic.twitter.com/hICzBTqBM6

— Lindsay Nubel (@LindsayNubel) September 18, 2020

At Brewer Arena, hundreds of people lined up before dawn to get a COVID-19 test at Ottawa's main COVID-19 Assessment Centre.

Kiavash Najafi posted on Twitter at 6:45 a.m. that he was number 29 in line.

I have arrived. 6:40 am. Brewer Park. I’m number 29 in the lineup. pic.twitter.com/Nds5nAczIQ

— Kiavash Najafi (@KiavashNajafi) September 18, 2020

A lovely staff person just came through to count the patients. I’m #44. They can process about 400 cases. So at 640 am, 10% of the capacity was already occupied. It’s likely that there are folks in this line who won’t get a test today. And folks who will get it at 7 pm.

— Kiavash Najafi (@KiavashNajafi) September 18, 2020

 

On Wednesday, the Ottawa Hospital announced the hours of operation at the Brewer Arena would be expanded to 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches told CTV News Ottawa's Christina Succi on Friday that Ottawa Public Health and its hospital partners are looking at all options to expand testing capacity, including paramedics and primary caregivers.

Asked what we is being done to rectify the long testing line-ups in #ottawa - Dr @VeraEtches says city is seeking out all@options, paramedics and primary caregivers to help with testing capacity. #ottnews #COVID19 https://t.co/M86D2ahAq8

— Christina Succi (@CTVChristina) September 18, 2020