Peterborough Regional Health Centre is making its COVID-19 assessment centre easier to access by offering a direct phone line.
On Tuesday, the hospital announced plans to help respond to the “increasing need” for COVID-19 assessment in the city and county with a direct phone line at 705-876-5086.
However, the hospital advises people to complete the province’s online COVID-19 self-assessment before calling if they suspect they might have the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Based on the results of the self-assessment, the hospital then suggests people contact its COVID-19 assessment centre to determine whether an appointment is required. This phone line is staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
The hospital says that if your symptoms are severe, call 911 and alert the dispatcher to your travel history and symptoms.
COVID-19 assessments are available by appointment only, and patients should visit the centre only as directed by health professionals. Members of the public who come to the centre without an appointment will not be seen. Visitors are not permitted in the COVID-19 assessment centre.
Patients with appointments scheduled should arrive at the centre near the hospital’s emergency department at least 10 minutes prior to their appointment time. Patients coming for assessment should clean their hands and apply a face mask as directed when entering the assessment centre.
Hospital staff will complete the assessment, and testing will be administered according to Ministry of Health guidelines depending on the results of the assessment.
Not all patients who are assessed will be tested for COVID-19, the hospital says. Following their assessment, patients will be directed on the next steps, which may include self-monitoring instructions, returning home to self-isolate while waiting for test results or remaining at the hospital for further assessment.
As of Monday, there were 28 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Peterborough area, according to Peterborough Public Health. Four of the cases are hospitalized at PRHC, and three of the 28 have been resolved.
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