The Scarborough Health Network (SHN) has relocated one of its COVID-19 testing centres to Highland Hall’s event centre at UTSC. The centre opened on December 1 and will operate until April 2021. The SHN approached the university as it was looking to relocate the Centenary Assessment Centre indoors for the winter to avoid the cold weather.
In an email to The Varsity, Andrew Arifuzzaman, UTSC’s Chief Administrative Officer, expressed that it is “imperative” that UTSC partner with organizations like SHN “to utilize… resources to help get through this difficult time for [the] community and the region.”
Arifuzzaman also noted that the eastern GTA region has been “hit harder” by COVID-19 than other parts of the city.
Operation
The assessment centre operates daily from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, accommodating up to 900 patients daily, by appointment only. The centre includes a dedicated entrance and exit separate from the rest of Highland Hall. Its air circulation is also separate from the rest of the building, as it has a dedicated air system just for the testing centre.
The centre runs under the same safety measures and protocols as all of the organization’s other locations. Hospital staff will be in personal protective equipment, removing garbage daily, and providing a “regular cleaning and disinfection of the space [and] equipment,” according to UTSC’s website.
“Scarborough has a large geographical footprint with much lower densities compared to the downtown core, with only three hospital sites,” Arifuzzaman noted. He pointed out that the Assessment Centre is adjacent to a public transit loop, which allows for easy access to transportation. The centre “will free up hospital facilities so that they can continue to provide for other healthcare needs in the community.”
“There are many front-line and essential workers living in multigenerational homes in the surrounding region” Arifuzzaman wrote. “The UTSC location will provide easy access to testing, assisting in helping protect our community and reducing the risk of spread.”
How to get tested
Eligible members of the Scarborough community — including UTSC students, faculty, and staff who meet the requirements — are able to book an appointment in the facility. Those considering an appointment should use Ontario’s self-assessment tool to determine whether or not testing is needed. Further criteria are also listed on the COVID-19 Assessment Centre’s FAQ page.
Those coming to campus for tests should arrive 10 minutes earlier than their scheduled appointment. Free parking is available to those being tested at UTSC’s Parking Lot A. Patients are required to print their own parking tickets — which are provided when booking tests — wear masks at all times, sanitize their hands, and practice physical distancing. Patients are also required to bring their health card to their appointment.
Anyone being tested is instructed not to use any of UTSC’s other buildings or facilities, all of which are monitored at access points.
Those eligible for testing can use the Ontario government’s list of assessment centres in the GTA to choose the testing centre most convenient for them. Booking at the Highland Hall Assessment Centre is available through the SHN website. Once tested, members of the public can access their results through the Ontario Ministry of Health’s online platform.
