A new COVID-19 assessment centre in Winchester will open on April 1st. The Centre is being operated by Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH) staff and physicians, in partnership with the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU). This centre is exclusively for the purpose of COVID-19 assessments.

The assessment centre is located in the Lions Club hall at 515 Albert Street and will be open Monday to Friday, from 12 to 6 pm. Parking is available behind the hall and there is signage to guide patients to the appropriate entrance.

“The aim of the assessment centre is to increase access to COVID-19 testing for EOHU area residents, while reducing the strain on 911, EMS and hospital emergency rooms so that they can focus on urgent care,” says Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health at the Eastern Ontario Health Unit. “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.”

How To Access the Assessment Centre

• Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms (such as fever and worsening cough), is first encouraged to go to the Ministry of Health’s website and complete a self-assessment online and follow the recommendations.
• You can also contact your primary care provider or call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. People with moderate, worsening (but non-severe) symptomsmay be referred to the assessment centre. The decision to test will be based on Ministry of Health guidelines.
• Anyone experiencing severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing should call 911 or go to the hospital emergency room.

“WDMH is grateful for this partnership with the Eastern Ontario Health Unit. This COVID-19 assessment centre will help protect our patients, their families, our staff and our physicians,” states Cholly Boland, WDMH CEO. “The hope is we can stay ahead of the game and prevent the spread of the virus as much as possible.”

For the latest updates on COVID-19 and local assessment centres, please visit the Eastern Ontario Health Unit’s website at www.eohu.ca. For the latest updates from WDMH, please visit www.wdmh.on.ca/coronavirus.