COVID-19 Assessment Centre Opening At Leamington’s Hospital

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File photo of Windsor Regional Hospital’s assessment centre sign.

Leamington’s hospital, Erie Shores HealthCare, has been approved for a COVID-19 Assessment Centre similar to the one at Windsor Regional Hospital in Windsor.

Officials say the Assessment Centre will be open starting Thursday, April 16th, 2020 with hours from 8am to 4pm, seven days a week.

“The ESHC COVID-19 Assessment Center is welcomed news to the communities in which we serve,” says Janice Dawson, CEO, Erie Shores HealthCare. “Last week Premier Ford announced the need for increased COVID 19 testing across the province with emphasis being given to all sector health care providers, patients and residents in long term care and retirement homes and other vulnerable groups. The announcement today allows ESHC to respond and provide assessment and testing to individuals in Essex County that are experiencing symptoms which could be caused by the COVID 19 virus.”

Officials say the COVID 19 Assessment Center will keep symptomatic patients out of the hospital’s emergency department so the hospital can remain focused on regular emergency room needs.

They say the a clinical assessment will be done before testing occurs, and the following groups are prioritized for testing based on directives from the provincial government:

• Symptomatic health care workers and staff who work in health care facilities;
• Symptomatic residents and staff in long term care facilities and retirement homes;
• Asymptomatic new admissions or re-admissions to long-term care or retirement home
• Hospitalized patients admitted with respiratory symptoms (new or exacerbated);
• Symptomatic members of remote, isolated, rural and/ or indigenous communities;
• Symptomatic travellers identified at a point of entry to Canada;
• Symptomatic community/ ambulatory people with medical co-morbidities;
• Symptomatic community/ ambulatory people working in an essential industry with the inability to isolate, such as migrants workers;
• Symptomatic healthcare workers, caregivers (i.e. volunteers, family members of residents in an institutional setting), care providers (e.g., employees, privately-hired support workers) and first responders.

The COVID-19 Assessment Centre is located at the ambulatory clinic entrance (off Fader Street) and it is a separate area from the emergency department. Officials say there will be no access into the main hospital from this area or access into the COVID-19 Assessment Centre from the main hospital.

Officials ask patients arriving at the Assessment Centre to proceed to the screening trailer.  They say you will then be directed into the Assessment Center where you will be assessed to determine if you require a swab.

The Health Unit will follow up with patients when their results are received.