You need an appointment to be tested for COVID-19 in Edmonton, except at this one location

File photo. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes)

EDMONTON — Starting Sept. 12, drop-in COVID-19 tests will only be offered at one location in Edmonton.

Alberta Health Services will only accept drop-in patients at the central assessment centre location, in the EXPO Centre’s Hall A, as of Saturday.

Those without an appointment at the south assessment centre will be turned away.

The south site will remain open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily for appointments.

Officials said the drop-in location in EXPO can complete 5,000 swabs per day.

AHS reiterated that drop-in testing wait times can fluctuate and encouraged booking a time online or calling HealthLink at 811.

In addition to receiving results via phone or MyHealth Records, patients can now opt to be notified of a negative test by SMS text message.