Windsor Regional Hospital is opening its COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Met Campus to the community.
The centre will provide a second option for residents who meet the criteria for testing at a hospital-run testing facility.
The Met Campus COVID-19 Assessment Centre had previously been open for a two-day span in November to accommodate testing of students from Frank W. Begley Public School. This is the first time the Met Campus COVID-19 Assessment Centre will be open for testing to the general public.
The Met Campus COVID-19 Assessment Centre will open on Tuesday, December 8 and will operate on weekdays only from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hours at the Ouellette Campus COVID-19 Assessment Centre remain 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and statutory holidays.
Between the Met and Ouellette Campus COVID-19 Assessment Centres, the hopsital can accommodate more than 750 tests per day.
According to a media release from Windsor Regional Hospital, the decision to open the Met Campus COVID-19 Assessment Centre is based on a recent rise in demand for tests by those who meet the criteria for testing plus the recent switch to requiring long-term care visitors to be tested weekly.
“We planned in advance to ensure we have the capacity in place for any significant increases in demand for COVID-19 tests or for space for patients should our existing hospitals become overwhelmed,” said Karen Riddell, vice-president, critical care, cardiology, stroke, trauma and clinical support services. “Having the Met Campus COVID-19 Assessment Centre constructed and put in place this fall, as well as having the continued opportunity to access the St. Clair College Sportsplex for various needs, has served our region well in terms of being prepared for any dramatic shifts in health care needs over the course of this pandemic.”
Anyone who wants to schedule a COVID-19 test at either campus can do so on the hospital's website.
