New COVID-19 Assessment Centre opens in Kemptville

Beginning Thursday, September 24, 2020 North Grenville residents will have access to a community-based COVID-19 Assessment Centre, located at Bell Hall on Kemptville Campus.

Hours of operation will be from Monday to Friday 7:00 am – 3:00 pm.

The North Grenville COVID-19 Assessment Centre is a collaboration of five community partners: Rideau Crossing Family Health Centre, Leeds, Lanark and Grenville Health Unit, Leeds Grenville Paramedic Service, the Municipality of North Grenville and Kemptville District Hospital.

“I am thrilled that we have been able to pull this assessment centre together so quickly and that our North Grenville residents now have access to testing,” said assessment centre’s Clinical Lead, Dr Suzanne Rutherford, and family physician at Rideau Crossing Family Health Centre.

“I am humbled by the outpouring of support that we have received from local residents who want to help out in any way they can. Many of the administrative, nursing and cleaning staff have offered to work on their days off to make this assessment centre a reality. As with any new endeavour, we can expect to have hiccups along the way and we ask that our community be patient as we work to create the most efficient and thorough assessment centre possible,” added Dr. Rutherford.

“As a partner in this initiative, we are pleased to be helping to get the North Grenville COVID-19 Assessment Centre up and running in record time,” said Frank Vassallo, CEO of Kemptville District Hospital. “North Grenville should be proud of this community-based, primary care-driven endeavour,” he added.

“Providing additional testing capacity for our community will allow people who have symptoms, or who have been advised by public health to be tested, an opportunity to do so close to home,” says Dr. Paula Stewart, Medical Officer of Health for the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit. “This is critical to prevent COVID-19 transmission in our community. Working with community partners has been the key to facilitating testing in this area.”

Testing for COVID-19 will be performed on individuals over the age of two with COVID-19 symptoms and/or close contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19. Symptoms include cough, fever, and shortness of breath.

Time-stamped tickets will be given out upon arrival. People are asked to leave campus until their assigned time window to return.

People wishing to be tested are to enter Kemptville Campus from College Road (off County Road 44) where they will be met by assessment centre workers and assigned a time window to return. Prior to that window, they will be directed off the campus by way of Curtis Avenue.

When their time window arrives, they are to turn on to Campus Drive (off Concession Road) and park in P3 (off McPhail Street). There will be signs directing traffic. Assessment Centre clients will only be able to enter the campus from Concession Road if they have time-stamped tickets obtained at the College Road entrance.

This route has been carefully selected to reduce traffic around the schools situated at the Kemptville Campus. Additional security will also be on site to support the flow of cars and people.

“Council has been acutely aware of the need for a COVID-19 testing centre in North Grenville, and are pleased to support this community-based assessment centre,” said Mayor Nancy Peckford.

“We appreciate the patience and collaboration of school board partners, families, students and other campus tenants,” added Mayor Peckford.

For more information about the North Grenville COVID-19 Assessment Centre visit www.northgrenville.ca/coronavirus.

For information about COVID-19 symptoms, testing or test results, call the Health Unit at 1-800-660-5853 or visit https://healthunit.org/health-information/covid-19/assessment-testing-results/.

For more information contact:

Jill Sturdy
Corporate Media Relations Officer
Municipality of North Grenville
613-258-9569 ext. 168
jsturdy@northgrenville.on.ca

Susan Healey, Communications Coordinator
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
613-802-0550
susan.healey@healthunit.org

Jenny Read, Communications/Patient Relations Officer
Kemptville District Hospital
613-258-6133 ext. 233
jread@kdh.on.ca