Almonte opens COVID-19 centre

Special to WC Online

April 2, 2020April 12, 2020 wadmin 1 Comment

ALMONTE – A new COVID-19 assessment centre in Almonte is now open.

Patients require a referral from their primary care physician or the health unit. Once a resident has been referred, the assessment centre will call to confirm the appointment time. There is a drive-up swabbing station just outside the building. Courtesy the AGH

The centre is operated by physicians and staff from Almonte General Hospital (AGH), Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital (CPDMH) and the Lanark County Paramedic Service, in partnership with the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit (LGLDHU).

The assessment centre is located at the corner of Spring Street and State Street in the brick building behind the Almonte General Hospital Emergency Department and will be open daily from 12 to 8 p.m. Parking is available at the centre and there is signage to guide patients to the appropriate entrance. Appointments are required.

Residents with mild to moderate symptoms should contact their primary care provider for a referral to the assessment centre. Those who do not have a primary care provider should call the health unit at 1-800-660-5853 ext. 2499 for a referral.

Once a resident has been referred, the assessment centre will call to confirm the appointment time. Anyone experiencing severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing should call 911 or go to a hospital emergency room.

The assessment centre is not open for walk-in visits. It is for people who have worsening, but not severe, COVID-19 symptoms such as fever and cough. Not everyone will be tested. Testing will be based on Ministry of Health guidelines.

“The aim of the assessment centre is to increase access to COVID-19 testing and medical assessments for our local communities, while reducing the strain on 911, the Lanark County Paramedic Service ambulances and hospital emergency rooms so that they can focus on urgent care,” AGH and CPDMH President Mary Wilson Trider said. “It will also reduce the risk of spreading the virus in hospitals and doctors’ offices, helping us to protect healthcare workers and other patients from COVID-19 infection. A big thank you to the health care teams at Almonte General Hospital and Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital for this important initiative led by Dr. Steve Walker, Dr. Karen Turcotte and Jennifer Lindsay, Integrated Manager of Surgical Services. It is a wonderful example of collaboration and the two hospitals working side-by-side as part of the Mississippi River Health Alliance to care for our local communities.”

For the latest updates on COVID-19, please visit the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit website at www.healthunit.org. For the latest updates from AGH, please visit www.agh-fvm.com/coronavirus.