An increase in demand for COVID-19 tests has forced Brantford General’s Market Street assessment centre to reject the walk-in requests.
Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHSYS) says the COVID-19 Assessment Centre at the Brantford Civic Centre will stop accepting walk-ins starting Friday due to high volumes of requests.
The agency says its been receiving requests for 500-plus tests per day. Through booked appointments only, the hospital is hoping to streamline the process.
“We want to ensure everyone who needs to be tested for COVID-19 can be served in a timely manner,” Dr. David McNeil, president and CEO of BCHS, said in a statement on Thursday.
“To be successful, we are moving to scheduled appointments only at the assessment centre.”
The assessment centre is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
At-risk, asymptomatic people also have the option of requesting a test from the Shoppers Drug Mart on Colborne Street, which became a designated pharmacy testing location on Tuesday.
Brant County reports 3 new COVID-19 cases
Brant County’s health unit says it recorded three new COVID-19 cases on Thursday. The region has a total of 191 confirmed cases since the pandemic began.
There are 17 active cases as of Oct. 1.
Public health says 36.13 per cent (69) of all cases in the county involve people between the ages of 20 and 39.
The region has one current institutional outbreak at Charlotte Villa retirement home in Brantford involving a staff member.
Cases in Brant County schools and daycares
Public Health Ontario says Brant County schools have reported a combined five active coronavirus cases as of Oct.1 at:
Brant County – 2
- Cobblestone Elementary School Brant – 2 cases
Brantford – 3
- Onondaga-Brant Public School – 1 case
- Russell Reid Elementary School – 1 case
- St. Pius X Catholic Elementary School – 1 case
The region has not reported any cases in child care centres as of Oct.1.