New drive-thru COVID-19 test site coming to Ottawa
CBC News | Posted: August 25, 2020 2:01 PM | Last Updated: August 25, 2020
Residents will need to book an appointment on Ottawa Public Health's website
Assembly of a new drive-thru COVID-19 assessment centre in the parking lot of Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton (RCGT) Park on Coventry Road has begun, the Champlain COVID-19 Response Committee says.
The new centre will be ready to take bookings "in the coming days," the committee said in a written statement through a spokesperson on Tuesday.
"Residents will be able to get tested for COVID-19 without leaving their cars. Residents will need to book an appointment in advance for this site through an online booking system," the statement said.
The online booking system will be available through Ottawa Public Health's website in next few days.
Health officials said people with symptoms would be better off going to one of the city's care clinics, or the Brewer Park Arena assessment centre, since the new site at RCGT Park will only offer testing, and no clinical assessment.
Councillor still pushing for east-end site
"I'm really glad to see that we are expanding capacity across the city," said Orléans Coun. Matthew Luloff, one of several local politicians who has called on The Ottawa Hospital to create a testing site in the city's east end.
"But it doesn't solve the issue that, even with the new site, that's still 10 kilometres away from us, on the other side of the Greenbelt."
Luloff also pointed out that while drive-thru testing sites are considered a safe option, not everyone owns a car.
The Champlain COVID-19 Response Committee said additional mobile testing options are being explored and "will be implemented shortly."
A previous drive-thru testing site was set up temporarily in March at the Queensway Carleton Hospital but was closed once the Brewer site opened.