CORNER BROOK, N.L. — Western Health will open off-site COVID-19 testing centres in Corner Brook and Stephenville at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
The sites are located at the Corner Brook Civic Centre Parking lot and the Stephenville Dome.
Western Health advised of the testing sites opening in an email Friday evening.
People will need to do an online self-assessment or call 811 and if it is determined that they require a test they will be given an appointment to go to one of the centres.
The health authority is also implementing an appointment-based service for blood collection.
Individuals who require blood work for chemotherapy, transplant and INR monitoring can call for an appointment.
The numbers to call are:
Corner Brook, Deer Lake and surrounding area, 709-634-0679,
Bonne Bay Health Centre, 709 458-2211, ext. 200,
Calder Health Centre, 709 886-3350 ext. 4130,
Dr. Charles L. LeGrow Health Centre, 709 695-4564,
Rufus Guinchard Health Centre, 709 861-3139 ext. 4210,
and the Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital, 709 643-5111 ext. 7246.
Appointments can be made Monday to Friday between 9:30-11:30 a.m. or 1-3 p.m.
People booking appointments must provide their name, MCP, telephone number and physician name. Patients will be screened for COVID-19.
Appointments for outpatient emergency bloodwork will be arranged through physicians’ or nurse practitioners’ offices.
Earlier story
Western Health is ready to go with off-site COVID-19 testing centres once the demand exceeds its capacity for testing in people’s homes.
Western Health confirmed Friday morning that testing locations will be set up at the Corner Brook Civic Centre parking lot and the Stephenville Dome.
In an email, the health authority said it has been screening, testing and monitoring the COVID-19 situation in the community.
“Currently, our public health system is capable to respond for requests for testing in people’s homes,” said the email.
When that changes, the email said, the off-site testing centres are ready to be activated.
Construction on a structure was started in Corner Brook on Wednesday.
The structure at the civic centre parking lot in Corner Brook was being built around a Bay of Islands Volunteer Search and Rescue trailer.
Western Health said the search and rescue group will be assisting with traffic flow in the parking lot.
The testing station in Stephenville will be located inside Stephenville Dome.
Mayor Tom Rose confirmed Wednesday that Western Health had requested space in the foyer of building.
He said the town council and administration has been preparing for it and looking at best practices from measures being put in place from the leadership of Municipalities and Newfoundland.
However, Rose said the town will be taking its cues from Western Health and the provincial government.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the province’s chief medical officer of health, was asked about plans to open testing centres, including possible drive thrus, during a media briefing on Thursday.
“All the RHAs (regional health authorities) are looking at assessment and testing centres. Drive-thru models have been used in other jurisdictions and everything is under consideration at this time,” she said.
“As soon as the regional health authorities are ready to go ahead with any type of assessment centres I’m confident the public will know.”
(With files from Frank Gale)
Updated March 21, 2020 to correct a phone number.
