COVID-19 Hotline: We are currently experiencing high call volumes to book appointments for COVID-19 testing. We will return voicemails, but please be patient.

COVID-19 Testing

COVID-19 testing is available by appointment to decrease wait times, ensure an orderly flow and to protect patients and staff by ensuring a safe physical space can be provided at the sites.

You can get an appointment time by:

Calling Hamilton Public Health Services at 905-974-9848.

Calling your family doctor

Assessment & Testing Centres in Hamilton Drive-Through COVID-19 Testing Centre

Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena

25 Hester Street, Hamilton

Hours of Operation: 10 am to 3 pm daily

To book an appointment, call 905-974-9848. At your allotted appointment time drive around the rear of the building to the Zamboni entrance and wait for staff to signal you to drive inside the arena for testing. Booking an appointment ensures a fast and efficient process. East End Assessment Centre

2757 King Street East, Hamilton

Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday 4 to 10 pm | Saturday, Sunday & Holidays 9 am to 3 pm West End Assessment Centre

690 Main Street West, Hamilton

Hours of Operation: 9 am to 5 pm daily

COVID-19 Symptoms and Testing Any individuals who are experiencing one symptom or sign from this list should get tested: Fever

New or worsening: cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, difficulty swallowing, change in taste or smell, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

Atypical signs and symptoms (particularly in children, older persons and persons living with a developmental disability): unexplained fatigue, delirium, unexplained/increased falls, headache, chills, croup, conjunctivitis (pink eye), multisystem inflammatory vasculitis (in children), unexplained tachycardia and decreased blood pressure.

Signs in young children may include lethargy and/or decreased feeding. Individuals who are not experiencing symptoms should get tested if: They are concerned that they have been exposed to COVID-19, including people who are contacts of or may have been exposed to a confirmed or suspected case.

They 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). You can get an appointment time by: Calling Hamilton Public Health Services at 905-974-9848.

Calling your family doctor If you require urgent care, visit an Emergency Department or call 911, and inform them of your travel and contact history and symptoms.

Test Results

If you were tested at the Drive-Through Testing Centre: Check the provincial online portal to get your COVID-19 test results. You will need your health card number to access these results. It may take up to 7 days for your results to appear online. Contact your family doctor to ask if they can look up your result on Clinical Connect. It may take up to 3 or more days for your results to appear on Clinical Connect. If you still cannot get your test results and it has been four or more days since your test, you can return to the Drive-Through Testing Site. A nurse will be available at the main entrance to retrieve your result online and print it for you. This service is available Monday through Friday from 12 noon until 3 pm. Government-issued photo identification must be presented.

If you were tested at the West Assessment Centre: Check the provincial online portal to get your COVID-19 test results. You will need your health card number to access these results. It may take up to 7 days for your results to appear online. Contact your family doctor to ask if they can look up your result on Clinical Connect. It may take up to 3 or more days for your results to appear on Clinical Connect. If you need a copy sent by mail or secure email, contact Hamilton Health Sciences Health Records Release of Information team: Phone: 905- 521-2100 Dial ext. 75133 if you have a January to June birthdate Dial ext. 75123 if you have a July to December birthdate

Fax: 905-528-3828

Email: [email protected]

You will need to submit a to Consent for Email Correspondence form and a Consent to Disclose Personal Health Information form to receive your test results. Access forms and read about what information you need to provide to receive test results

Provide a daytime phone number to reach you, as staff must contact you by phone to validate your identity prior to sending results. Allow up to two business days for a response. Health Records staff cannot discuss the content of your test results over the phone.

The Release of Information Department is open 8 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday only.

If you were tested at the East End Assessment Centre: Check the provincial online portal to get your COVID-19 test results. You will need your health card number to access these results. It may take up to 7 days for your results to appear online. If the online portal indicates your test results are unavailable, contact your family doctor to ask if they can look up your result on Clinical Connect. It may take up to 3 or more days for your results to appear on Clinical Connect. If you are unable to get test results from your family doctor and need a copy sent by mail or secure email, contact St. Joseph’s Healthcare Health Records Release of Information team: Email: [email protected]

Phone: 905-522-1155 ext. 33417

Provide a daytime phone number to reach you, as staff must contact you by phone to validate your identity prior to sending results. Allow up to two business days for a response. Health Records staff cannot discuss the content of your test results over the phone.

Testing Tips Only book one COVID-19 test at one Assessment Centre site in Hamilton. Do not go to another testing site for repeat testing while waiting for test results. This causes longer wait times for testing and results.

Continue to check for test results on the provincial online portal until results are updated. It may take up to 7 days to receive test results for COVID-19.

Hamilton Public Health Services will only follow up with individuals who test positive for COVID-19.

You will be provided with information about how to manage symptoms and next steps when you are tested.

COVID-19 tests are processed by Ontario’s Public Health Laboratory and uploaded into the online provincial portal. Hamilton Public Health Services does not have access to the results over and above what is on the online provincial portal.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Assessment Centre

When are the COVID-19 Assessment Centres and Testing Centres open? The Drive-Through COVID-19 Testing Centre at 25 Hester St. is open from 10 am to 3 pm daily.

The West End COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 690 Main St. West is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily.

The East End COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 2757 King Street East is open Monday to Friday 4 to 10 pm and Saturday, Sunday & Holidays 9 am to 3 pm.

If you are symptomatic after the Centre is closed and you do not need emergency care, please continue to self-isolate and call to book an appointment the following day.

If you need emergency care at any time, please go to your nearest emergency department or call 911.

If my symptoms are serious, should I still go to the COVID-19 Assessment Centre? No. If you are in distress (e.g., significant trouble breathing, chest pain, fainting, or have a significant worsening of any chronic disease symptoms), do not go to the Assessment Centre. Go to the nearest Emergency Department or call 911.

Do I need to call Hamilton Public Health Services or call the COVID-19 Assessment Centre before coming in? In order to decrease wait times, ensure an orderly flow and to protect patients and staff by ensuring a safe physical space can be provided at the sites, we are booking appointments at Assessment Centres.

You can get an appointment time from your family doctor or Hamilton Public Health Services at 905-974-9848

What do I need to bring with me if I go to a COVID-19 Assessment Centre or Testing Centre? Bring your Ontario health card and a list of your current medications. Wait times will depend on patient volume.

Can my child attend a COVID-19 Assessment Centre or Testing Centre? Yes. The COVID-19 Assessment Centres and Testing Centres can assess and test both children and adults who have appointments. Do not bring your child if they are well and do not need to be screened.

The East and West End Centres will test people of all ages, including children.

The Testing Centres tests those above age 4.

What is the COVID-19 Assessment Centres and Testing Centre process? The test involves taking a sample from the back of the nasal cavity with a swab.

Information about how to manage symptoms and next steps will be provided.

You can get test results on the provincial online portal

Will a family member or friend be allowed to join me in the COVID-19 Assessment Centre? As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe care and work environment in the COVID-19 Assessment Centres, visitors who are not being tested will not be allowed to join patients in the Assessment Centre with the following exceptions: An adult accompanying a child who is a patient, a frail older person, a person with a disability

Anyone acting as an interpreter For those visiting the drive-through Testing Centre, please do not bring individuals in the vehicle who do not have an appointment (with the exception of those outlined above).

Will I have to wear a mask if I visit the COVID-19 Assessment Centre? The safety of all staff, physicians, volunteers, students, patients, families and visitors remains a top priority. All patients visiting the COVID-19 Assessment Centres will be required to wear the mask provided and use the hand sanitizer prior to entering the facility.

How will the COVID-19 Assessment Centre keep patients safe? Areas for screening and assessment will be kept separate to reduce the risk of spreading infection.

Everyone will be asked to sanitize their hands and put on a mask at the Centre entrance.

Please also be mindful to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Will my results be confidential? Yes. Your personal health information is protected under Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).

The following information will be reported on the Ministry of Health of Ontario’s website: Patient age and gender Public Health Unit Hospital involved Type of transmission Status (e.g. home isolation)



Can you leave your house while waiting for test results? If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms but have no known exposure to COVID-19 Self-isolate in your home away from others while you are waiting for test results. Practice physical distancing, frequent handwashing and clean commonly used surfaces in the home. Read more about self-isolating If Public Health has identified you as a close contact of a COVID-19 confirmed positive person identified by Public Health, whether you have or do not have COVID-19 symptoms Continue to follow the advice provided to you by public health regarding self-isolation. If you do not have symptoms and have not been knowingly exposed to COVID-19 You do not need to self-isolate. However, you should practice physical distancing by keeping 2 metres from others, wash hands often with soap and water, and monitor yourself for COVDI019 symptoms. What to do while you’re waiting for COVID-19 test results

How will I find out my test results? If you were tested at the Drive-Through Testing Centre: Check the provincial online portal to get your COVID-19 test results. You will need your health card number to access these results. It may take up to 7 days for your results to appear online. Contact your family doctor to ask if they can look up your result on Clinical Connect. It may take up to 3 or more days for your results to appear on Clinical Connect. If you still cannot get your test results and it has been four or more days since your test, you can return to the Drive-Through Testing Site. A nurse will be available at the main entrance to retrieve your result online and print it for you. This service is available Monday through Friday from 12 noon until 3 pm. Government-issued photo identification must be presented. If you were tested at the West End Assessment Centre: Check the provincial online portal to get your COVID-19 test results. You will need your health card number to access these results. It may take up to 7 days for your results to appear online. Contact your family doctor to ask if they can look up your result on Clinical Connect. It may take up to 3 or more days for your results to appear on Clinical Connect. If you need a copy sent by mail or secure email, contact Hamilton Health Sciences Health Records Release of Information team: Phone: 905- 521-2100 Dial ext. 75133 if you have a January to June birthdate Dial ext. 75123 if you have a July to December birthdate

Fax: 905-528-3828

Email: [email protected]

You will need to submit a to Consent for Email Correspondence form and a Consent to Disclose Personal Health Information form to receive your test results. Access forms and read about what information you need to provide to receive test results

Provide a daytime phone number to reach you, as staff must contact you by phone to validate your identity prior to sending results. Allow up to two business days for a response. Health Records staff cannot discuss the content of your test results over the phone.

The Release of Information Department is open 8 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday only. If you were tested at the East End Assessment Centre: Check the provincial online portal to get your COVID-19 test results. You will need your health card number to access these results. It may take up to 7 days for your results to appear online. If the online portal indicates your test results are unavailable, contact your family doctor to ask if they can look up your result on Clinical Connect. It may take up to 3 or more days for your results to appear on Clinical Connect. If you are unable to get test results from your family doctor and need a copy sent by mail or secure email, contact St. Joseph’s Healthcare Health Records Release of Information team: Email: [email protected]

Phone: 905-522-1155 ext. 33417

Provide a daytime phone number to reach you, as staff must contact you by phone to validate your identity prior to sending results. Allow up to two business days for a response. Health Records staff cannot discuss the content of your test results over the phone. Hamilton Public Health Services will only follow-up with you if you test positive for COVID-19. It's important to remember that a COVID-19 test is only a snapshot of your health on the specific date and time the swab was taken. You can still develop symptoms days after your test was taken. If you receive a positive test result Continue to self-isolate and a public health nurse will call you within 24 hours. If you need to speak to someone more immediately, call the Public Health Services COVID-19 hotline at 905-974-9848. If you receive a negative test result If you have had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, you should continue self-isolating for the remainder of the time required as a contact of a confirmed case. If your symptoms persist or worsen, contact your doctor or public health so that re-testing can be considered. For those who had previously been instructed by public health to isolate, you should remain in isolation for the remainder of the required 14 days.

you should continue self-isolating for the remainder of the time required as a contact of a confirmed case. If your symptoms persist or worsen, contact your doctor or public health so that re-testing can be considered. For those who had previously been instructed by public health to isolate, you should remain in isolation for the remainder of the required 14 days. If you have not had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, tested negative but still have symptoms: continue to self-isolate until you are feeling well (ie, your symptoms have resolved). If your symptoms persist or worsen, contact your doctor or public health to discuss next steps.

tested negative continue to self-isolate until you are feeling well (ie, your symptoms have resolved). If your symptoms persist or worsen, contact your doctor or public health to discuss next steps. If you have not had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, tested negative and have no symptoms : you can resume your normal activities, including returning to work.

tested negative and : you can resume your normal activities, including returning to work. If your test comes back negative, but you begin to develop COVID-19 symptoms, even if they're mild, you need to be re-tested. This is important so we can all protect the health and safety of our loved ones and our community from whatever infection you may have. For pending test results If your test results indicate they are indeterminate, pending or in progress, your test has not yet been completed. As such, please check back later for your test results.

Will the Assessment Centre or Testing Centre issue absence notes for employment purposes? No. The Assessment Centres and Testing Centre have been established strictly to screen and assess patients for COVID-19. Notes for employment or other purposes will not be provided by physicians or other clinical staff.

How can I get a test & results quickly for travel? If you are planning to travel and need a COVID-19 test prior to your departure for airline travel, call Public Health Services COVID-19 Hotline at 905-974-9848 to book an appointment for testing. Indicate that you need a test for airline travel. To acquire test results for airline travel, read how to get test results . Note: There is no guarantee on turnaround times for test results. Confirming entry requirements for COVID-19 testing are the travellers’ responsibility. Travellers returning to Canada must isolate for 14 days regardless if COVID-19 testing occurs and negative test results are obtained. Getting a negative test result does not release individuals from quarantine.

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