A COVID-19 assessment centre is opening outside of the Collingwood G&M Hospital on Wednesday.
“The purpose of this assessment centre will be to screen all patients coming into the hospital and should not be considered a testing centre,” the hospital says.
Everyone who enters the Collingwood G&M Hospital (CGMH) for care will be required to enter through the assessment centre, which will be housed in a tent in front of the entrance to the emergency department.
“Our priority is to continue to care for all emergency patients in the safest and most effective way possible so we urge the public not to show up to the assessment centre asking to be solely tested for COVID-19,” Lauren Tindall, the CMGH’s chief nurse executive, said in a statement.
“Testing is restricted to patients who meet government screening criteria.”
The Collingwood assessment centre will be staffed by CMGH physicians and employees, as well as by nurse practitioners from the Georgian Bay Family Health Team.
The hospital says residents can access self-assessment tools that have been made available by the Ontario government.