A number of local health agencies have been working together to deliver services at the COVID-19 Assessment Centres in Lanark and are planning several options to increase capacity for testing in the area.
A “pop-up” (temporary) testing centre will be open this Friday, September 25 in Perth to help increase access to testing for the community and to reduce the pressure on the nearby COVID-19 Assessment Centres as more permanent solutions are being completed. Testing will be performed by community paramedics from the Lanark County Paramedic Service.
“Providing additional testing capacity for our community will allow people who have symptoms, or who have been advised by public health to be tested, an opportunity to do so close to home,” says Dr. Paula Stewart, Medical Officer of Health for the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit. “This is critical to prevent COVID-19 transmission in our community. Working with community partners has been the key to facilitating testing in this area.”
Reservations for testing will be taken online through the Eventbrite website starting Thursday morning at 9AM. Residents requiring testing can log in online and leave their first and last name and their phone number. Staff will call residents back by telephone to request additional necessary information and complete the booking process. Bookings will be available from 9AM – Noon and 12:30 to 3:30PM. There will be capacity for 60 people in both the morning and afternoon time slots for a total of 120 people. Individuals waiting for call-backs from the Smiths Falls and Almonte Assessment Centres can use this option.
Testing will be by appointment only and confirmed by phone and the pop-up centre will not be open to walk-ins. Anyone not able to access the booking site online, can continue to contact the COVID-19 Assessment Centres in Smiths Falls, Almonte, Brockville and Kemptville. Information about future pop-up centres and mobile testing will be available on the Health Unit website and shared via social media. To obtain contact information for the COVID-19 Assessment Centres, please check with the hospital website associated with each COVID-19 Assessment Centre or contact the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit at 1-800-660-5853 or Telehealth Ontario (toll-free) at (866) 797-0000 or Toll-free TTY at (866) 797-0007.
Visit our website for Pop-up Testing listings and to book a space for Friday, September 25: https://healthunit.org/health-information/covid-19/assessment-testing-results/
This is a partnership between Almonte General Hospital, Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital, Lanark County Paramedic Service, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit and local primary care providers.
