Want a COVID test? Pack your patience and expect long wait times
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If you need a COVID test, prepare to wait.
Across the GTA, wait times at COVID-19 assessment centres stretched to several hours as people sought testing amid climbing infection rates.
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Health officials cautioned we’re on the cusp of a second wave of infections as fall hits and more people experience pandemic fatigue.
A line of over 50 people formed hours before the testing site at Toronto Western Hospital at Bathurst and Dundas Sts. opened at noon on Monday. By the time the doors opened, there was still a two-hour wait.
The same day, some people who waited at William Osler’s drive-thru testing centre in Etobicoke found themselves behind the wheel for between three to five hours. At 3:30 p.m., the hospital capped the line and asked the remaining people to come back another time.
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“We are aware that there have been significant line-ups in many different parts of Ontario,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said Tuesday.
“We are looking at the best way to address those issues — whether it’d be through pharmacies, through labs, through other ways in order to enhance our assessment facilities. We are looking at all that right now and we will have an answer in the next few days.”
Premier Doug Ford added there could be an announcement in the next couple of days about making testing of those without symptoms possible at Ontario pharmacies.
“I had a personal call with the CEO of Shoppers (Drug Mart) today, and I don’t want to just mention Shoppers because there are other big pharmacies out there that are willing to jump in there,” he said. “We’re doing everything we can to move this forward rapidly.”
Michael Garron Hospital — formerly Toronto East General Hospital — reported an increasing volume of patients just before the long weekend in August and more consistently since the beginning of September.
“(Monday), we saw over 500 patients, up from approximately 300 per day in July and 400 per day in August,” said spokesperson Andrea Nameth.
There were also long lineups at COVID-19 assessment centres at St. Joseph’s Health Centre and St. Michael’s Hospital.
“At St. Michael’s assessment centre, we have the capacity to process 35 to 40 people per hour. This past week, we’ve had more than 100 people at a time waiting in line which could lead to a two-hour wait,” said spokesperson Jennifer Stranges. “We are exploring ways to increase our capacity.”
Mount Sinai Hospital said its average wait time is about two hours and the assessment centre is open from 8 a.m.-noon on weekdays.
The province reported 251 new COVID-19 cases — including four deaths — on Tuesday. Of those new cases, 73 are in Toronto and 42 in Peel Region.
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The province reported Tuesday it had processed 27,664 tests over a 24-hour period.
On Monday, Ontario saw the highest daily case count since early June with 313 new cases.
Mayor John Tory called on the province earlier this week to extend hours at some COVID-19 testing centres to allow for more people to get assessed.
Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath said the Ford government is moving too slowly when it comes to ironing out the kinks in its testing protocol.
— With files by the Canadian Press
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