COVID-19 testing assessment in Sudbury seeing a variety of people, lead says

With an increase in COVID-19 cases in the Sudbury area, there's little question that on-going testing will remain critical.

In the last week and a half, there have been 22 new COVID-19 cases in the Sudbury area.

In Sudbury, there are several places to get tested for COVID-19, including the assessment centre for Health Sciences North. Since it opened, more than 15,000 tests have been carried out there.

Dr. Debbie Smith, the medical lead for the assessment centre, says they're testing a variety of people including more who don't have symptoms.

"Part of this is because the provincial directive for everyone who wants to visit someone in a nursing home to have a COVID-19 test every two weeks," she said.

"There's also surveillance going on both in long-term care and retirement residences for staff to be tested so we will see some of those people for testing."

Smith says other people coming in are showing symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has.

She says in the past few months, the number of tests the centre has tripled. But she says not to expect to see a line-up of vehicles.

"Because we do all of our information ahead of time and it's by appointment only, it's very quick," she said.

Smith cautions if you do get tested and if comes back negative, not to let your guard down.

Things can change 'very quickly'

"It means that at the time of the test, you were negative," she said. "That doesn't mean you are actually negative now and this can change very quickly."

She says if you have symptoms and test negative, you should still remain in self-isolation. If your symptoms don't go away, she recommends getting tested again.

Nurse Stephanie McDonald says staff who work at the centre have to keep up with the latest on what's going on with the virus.

"Everyday it changes because some days we're doing really good as a community and we have no cases," she said.

"Then on a turn of a dime, we'll end up having positives. That's when we have to be flexible and help the community get through that."

McDonald says people are nervous coming through, but she says staff on site work to relax people getting tested.

"The first time we hit 100 in the drive through, we blew up a glove for the patient that got swabbed," she said.

"We just have to try and have fun because it's stressful right now."

Throughout the northeast, more than 80,000 people have been tested.