Chatham-Kent Health Alliance’s (CKHA) COVID-19 Assessment Centre located at 47 Emma Street in Chatham is responding to the province’s evolving COVID-19 testing guidelines.
Hospital officials say in support of the continued focus on reducing the spread of the virus and protecting vulnerable populations, asymptomatic risk-based testing will now be offered at the COVID-19 Assessment Centre.
No Ontarian who is symptomatic or who is concerned they have been exposed to COVID-19 will be declined a test at an Assessment Centre, hospital officials say.
CKHA advises patients to continue booking an appointment online at www.assessmentbooking.ca prior to arriving at the Assessment Centre.
Testing criteria now includes:
Symptomatic testing:
1. All people with at least one symptom of COVID-19, including those with mild symptoms. Please refer to common and atypical symptom list below.
Asymptomatic, risk-based testing:
2. People who are concerned that they have been exposed to COVID-19. This includes people who are contacts of or may have been exposed to a confirmed or suspected case.
3. People who are at risk of exposure to COVID-19 through their employment, including essential workers (e.g., health care workers, grocery store employees, food processing plants).
Common and Atypical Symptoms of COVID-19:
– Common symptoms of COVID-19 include:
– Fever (temperature of 37.8 C or greater)
– New or worsening cough
– Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
Other symptoms of COVID-19 can include:
– Sore throat
– Difficulty swallowing
– New olfactory or tastes disorder(s)
– Nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
– Runny nose or nasal congestion – in absence of underlying reason for these symptoms such as seasonal allergies, post nasal drip, etc.
Other signs of COVID-19 can include:
– Clinical or radiological evidence of pneumonia
Atypical symptoms of COVID-19 should be considered, particularly in children, older persons, and people living with a developmental disability. Atypical symptoms can include:
– Unexplained fatigue/malaise/myalgias (muscle aches)
– Delirium (acutely altered mental status and inattention)
– Unexplained or increased number of falls
– Acute functional decline
– Exacerbation of chronic conditions
– Chills
– Headaches
– Croup
– Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
– Multisystem inflammatory vasculitis in children
Atypical signs can include:
– Unexplained tachycardia, including age specific tachycardia for children
– Decrease in blood pressure
– Unexplained hypoxia (inclusive of mild hypoxia)
– Lethargy, difficulty feeding in infants (if no other diagnosis)
*Symptom list referenced from “Ontario Ministry of Health COVID-19 Reference Document for Symptoms, Version 4.0, May 14, 2020.”
To book an appointment, visit CKHA’s booking tool at www.assessmentbooking.ca and complete the online form.
Before booking an appointment, please make sure you have a valid “green” Ontario health card.
Hospital officials are asking people to provide an email address while filling out the online form to confirm your appointment date and time.
Patients who have a “red and white” Ontario health card, or those who do not have access to technology, can book an appointment by calling CKHA’s Registration at 519-352-6400 ext. 6548 between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.
After hours and on weekends, patients can call CKHA’s Switchboard at 519-352-6400 ext. 6584.
Reminders for patients attending the COVID-19 Assessment Centre:
– Patients are advised to book an appointment rather than walk-in to the assessment centre. Patients who arrive as a walk-in will be seen at the earliest convenience by the health care team and may be asked to return the next day or book an appointment if all time slots are filled.
– When attending the assessment centre, please bring your health card with you. This helps the health care team properly identify you.
– Please bring a list of medications and any other information regarding allergies and past medical issues.
– Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. AND the last patient will be seen at 4:20 p.m.
– If you arrive after 4:20 p.m., please do NOT present to the Emergency Department. Return home to self-isolate and come back to the assessment centre in the morning.
– CKHA’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre is located at 47 Emma Street, next to the Chatham Site. Please park in the lot adjacent to the building. Free parking is available during hours of operation.
