Drive-thru COVID-19 testing site to move to downtown Kitchener

Grand River Hospital is in the midst of planning tomove its COVID-19 drive-thru testing site to a new location at Charles Streetand Ontario Streetin Kitchener that will be better equipped to handle winter weather.

The new site will allow staff to keep working safely during cold and inclement conditions, the hospital said in a news release Thursday. An exact date for the move was not provided, but hospital officials said it would be "very soon."

"Our current location at Catalyst has been terrific, but we know that winter will bring colderand more unpredictable weather that our testing tents cannot sustain," clinical manager Sarah Sullivan said in the release.

"The new site has been planned to protect staff, residents and equipment from the elements and enable us to continue operating, even during periods of poorer weather."

The hospital said it is working to install tents, heating and IT infrastructure at the site. Once equipment has been installed, it will run tests to ensure the site is up and running as it should, the release said.

Staffers at the Catalyst 137 site have so far performed almost 60,000 COVID-19 tests, the hospital said.

Current COVID-19 test sites available to the community include:

• Grand River Hospital'sdrive-thru and walk-ups by appointment only. **Still located at 137 Glasgow St, Kitchener (Catalyst parking lot) 7:30 am 6 pm.
• St Mary's General Hospital's test centre is at50 Bathurst Dr. Unit 1, Waterloo. Appointments are between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., call 519-885-9517 to make an appointment.
• Cambridge-North Dumfries Community COVID-19 Assessment Centre. 215 Holiday Inn Dr, Cambridge 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Monday to Friday), 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (weekends and holidays). Self-referrals are accepted by calling 226-895-1050. To cancel your appointment, pleasecall226-895-1050 and select option 3.
• Westmount Road COVID-19 testing centre is at50 Westmount Rd. N. in Waterloo. Appointments are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. Book an appointment by calling1-855-414-2255.