Here's what it's like inside London's first COVID-19 assessment centre

There's something so very Canadian about choosing a suburban hockey arena as a place for London Ont.'s first COVID-19 assessment centre, but few neighbours who live near the Oakridge Arena seem to find any comfort in that fact. 

For two days in a row the Oakridge Arena was so lined up with cars that they spilled out onto the length of nearby Valetta Street. On Tuesday, that line stretched for three blocks, some drivers wearing masks, others without, but all wearing the worried look of someone unsure about whether they have a cold, the flu, or something worse. 

On the first day, medical officials saw 318 patients, 68 of whom were taken into the Oakridge Arena for further evaluation. Five were sent to urgent care, but none had the virus the whole world is talking about.

Still, that hasn't stopped Steve Lehman's phone from ringing non-stop. He's the city councillor whose ward is home to the Oakridge Arena and many of his constituents are worried.  

'There's no danger to the surrounding community'

"They were concerned about the number of sick or infected people coming into their neighbourhood," he said. "Things are happening so fast and it's the fear of the unknown."

Lehman said people need reassurance that the experts, the medical professionals from London Health Science Centre and the Middlesex-London Health Unit, have everything under control. 

"There's no danger to the surrounding community."

In fact, few people seem to get out of their car. Once people pull up to the drivethru assessment centre, medical staff ask them a series of questions, about where they've travelled and whether they have any COVID-19 symptoms. 

Goal is to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed

Those needing further evaluation are asked to park in the lot and wait in their cars for a text message. Once they get the text, they go into the arena, wash their hands, put on a mask and see a nurse.

The nurse will then take their vital signs and assess if the symptoms the person is feeling are COVID-19 or something else according to Emily Williams, the director of nursing professional practice at London Health Science Centre and the person in charge of operating the screening centre. 

"Some of the key roles here is to keep people from going to our emergency departments, but also to just provide clear information so they feel reassured and how to self-isolate if they need to do that," she said.

Williams said the aim of the centre is to help flatten the curve so that local emergency rooms, doctors offices and walk-in clinics aren't overwhelmed with patients with questions about an illness they might not have. 

No on-site testing for COVID-19

Medical officials were quick to re-iterate that they do no medical testing on the premises and that the testing is only done when people are really sick. 

"We need to prioritize testing for those who need it the most," said Dr. Alex Summers, the region's associate officer of health.

Summers said the most important and responsible thing for people to do is to stay home in order to avoid potentially spreading the illness, especially if their symptoms are minor. 

"The most important thing for people, is if you have the symptoms of respiratory illness you need to self-isolate immediately."

He said people should self-isolate until their symptoms have resolved and then 24 hours after that point. All patients who come through the centre are given clear instructions on how to properly self-isolate and practice social distancing.