While there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 in the city, Guelph will likely see a screening centre for the novel coronavirus ready to go by next week.

In a post that has since been removed from its Facebook page, the Guelph Family Health Team (GFHT) announced that it is working to have an assessment site ready to go at 65 Delhi St., a city-owned property that is currently used by staff with the city’s emergency medical services.

Ross Kirkconnell, GFHT’s executive director, said the clinic is being prepared so that Guelph is ready should any novel coronavirus cases be confirmed in the city.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen, but we don’t want to be left scrambling at the last minute. I’d rather put a plan in place that hopefully we never operationalize than scramble at the 11th hour,” he said.

“We want to keep people who have symptoms and are at risk out of the (emergency room) and out of their family doctors’ offices.”

While the clinic could be operational as early as next week, Kirkconnell said that does not necessarily mean it will be open then.

“If it’s evident we need it, we want to be able to press the ‘go’ button and have it operational within 24 hours,” he said.

When, or if, the clinic gets up and running, Kirkconnell said the screening centre “would be like you’re going to ambulatory care at Guelph General.”

Someone coming in would first apply hand sanitizer and put on a mask — before being seen by a physician, nurse, nurse practitioner or paramedic, who would conduct a nasal swab.

“So you would be assessed and, as per everywhere else, you’d be sent home for quarantine (if you're COVID-19 positive), unless you’re very ill or require hospitalization,” he said.