OTTAWA -- Ottawa Public Health will be opening COVID-19 community assessment centres within the next week to help deal with the novel coronavirus.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches announced the new centres while discussing Ottawa’s first confirmed case of COVID-19.
“This will be a new service available in our community within a week to increase capacity for testing for the virus outside of hospitals,” said Dr. Etches.
Ottawa Public Health has been working with its health care system partners, including hospitals and the Ontario Ministry of Health.
Dr. Andrew Willmore of the Ottawa Hospital says the first assessment centre will be open within a week.
“We’re very well on our way to establishing the necessary equipment, supplies to get that process going. We don’t want to disclose the location at this time because we want to make sure we have everything ready.”
Ottawa Public Health and the Ottawa Hospital will provide information about the community assessment centres, including locations and hours of operation.
Health officials were also asked about other possible ways to test Ottawa residents.
Dr. Etches says an “active conversation” is being held on whether Ottawa Paramedics can test for novel coronavirus in homes.
Dr. Willmore says the idea of drive-thru assessment testing for COVID-19 is “on our radar”, but nothing has been decided.
