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Temporary COVID-19 testing clinic opening at McNabb Arena this weekend as testing demand increases

A COVID-19 assessment centre in Ottawa, Ont. (Colton Praill / CTV News Ottawa) A COVID-19 assessment centre in Ottawa, Ont. (Colton Praill / CTV News Ottawa)
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OTTAWA -

A temporary COVID-19 testing clinic will open at the McNabb Arena this weekend, as Ottawa parents complain about a lack of children testing appointments in Ottawa.

Friday morning, one parent said on Twitter that their kids have COVID symptoms, but the earliest testing appointment available is 9:30 a.m. Sunday at the CHEO Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena.

As of 3:30 p.m. Friday, the earliest appointment available at the CHEO Community Assessment Clinic at Brewer Arena was Sunday morning. There were 34 time slots available for appointments.

The COVID-19 Drive-Thru Assessment Centre on Coventry Road offers testing for residents 10 and older.  Appointments are still available on Saturday and Sunday.

In a statement on Twitter, Ottawa Public Health said, "Our partners who manage COVID testing are working to increase their capacity to meet testing demand."

A temporary pop-up COVID-19 assessment centre will be open Saturday, Sunday and Monday at the McNabb Arena at 180 Percy Street.  COVID-19 testing will be available for anyone over the age of six months old.

It's a drop-in COVID-19 testing centre, and no appointments are needed.

The clinic will be open:

  • Saturday, Sept. 18: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, Sept 19: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Monday Sept, 20: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

COVID-19 testing for children over the age of six months old is also available at both the COVID-19 care and test centre on Moodie Drive and the COVID-19 care and testing centre on Tenth Line Road at the Ray Friel Centre. Both centres are open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce has reported 2,000 tests were performed each day on Sept. 14 and Sept. 15.  A total of 1,948 tests were performed on September 13.

By comparison, 1,236 swabs were processed at clinics on Sept. 1.

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