London’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre, operated by the London Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph’s Health Care London and the Middlesex-London Health Unit, will open Monday, March 16th at 11:00 a.m. at Oakridge Arena, located at 825 Valetta Street in London. Assessment Centres are out-of-hospital clinics where people can be seen by a healthcare provider for COVID-19 related concerns, rather than have them visit an Emergency Department, Urgent Care Centre or their family doctor’s office. Middlesex-London EMS, the Thames Valley Family Health Team and Middlesex Hospital Alliance were also involved in the planning process.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO TESTING DONE AT THE LONDON COVID-19 ASSESSMENT CENTRE

Starting tomorrow, London’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre will be open seven days a week from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. There will be no medication or treatment onsite at the COVID-19 Assessment Centre.
Ontario’s COVID-19 Assessment Centres are intended to educate and provide further medical guidance as well as to triage individuals and determine the next steps in their care.

The Health Unit and its partners recommend the following:

1. Use the Ontario Ministry of Health’s online self-assessment tool at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment
2. Call Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 for a telephone assessment if you have symptoms that include fever and/or cough AND any of the following within 14 days prior to the onset of illness:
   
   a. Travel outside of Canada
   b. Close contact with a confirmed or probable case
   c. Close contact with a person with Acute Respiratory Illness, who has been to an affected area
   
   
3. If you are not able to assess your symptoms, consider visiting the COVID-19 Assessment Centre for further information.

Anyone with severe respiratory illness, or a medical emergency should go to hospital.

Signs of severe respiratory illness include:

• Shortness of breath/unable to catch your breath
• Severe fever that does not come down with Tylenol/acetaminophen
• Energy so low that you are physically unable to get out of bed or barely able and must rest again immediately

Media Contact:
Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit
519-663-5317 extension 2469 or 519-617-0570

Spokesperson:
Dr. Alex Summers, Associate Medical Officer of Health, Middlesex-London Health Unit