Sudbury COVID-19 screening centre to reduce hospital burden

Sudbury COVID-19 assessment centre set up to reduce burden on hospital. Mar. 13/20 (CTV Northern Ontario)

Sudbury — Sudbury's hospital, Health Sciences North, has set up a new coronavirus (COVID-19) screening centre for people wanting to get tested.

It's just a block away and around the corner at the hospital's research institute on Walford Road.

The hospital says the goal is to minimize the significant number of patients presenting themselves to the emergency department at HSN.

Patients will be assessed and swabbed as deemed appropriate, not everyone who goes to the clinic will be swabbed.

This screening is by appointment only, and for safety reasons, walk-in appointments are strictly prohibited.

For an appointment at the assessment centre, the following criteria must be met:

Symptoms:

Fever (over 38 degrees Celsius) and/or cough (new or worsening)

AND

Exposure history within the last 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms:

There are two steps to be followed to receive an appointment at the COVID-19 Assessment Centre:

An individual who meets the criteria above must call the assessment centre at 705-671-7373 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. rather than going to the hospital's emergency department. Basic intake information will be taken and a clinician will call them back for the next steps.

Anyone with general questions should call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705-522-9200 or toll-free 1-866-522-9200 and not the hospital.