AHS opens up drive-in COVID testing facility in Brooks
By GILLIAN SLADE on May 13, 2020.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade Residents of Brooks without any symptoms of COVID-19 will have another opportunity to be tested for the virus, Alberta Health Services has announced. Testing will be available for through Thursday this week at 144009 Township Road 192N. No appointment is required. It will operate as a drive-in facility and translation services will be readily available. The testing is for people who live or work in the Brooks region, do not currently have any symptoms and have not previously tested positive for COVID-19. Anyone coming for a test must bring their health care card and photo identification. A maximum of two people from one household are allowed in each vehicle. Late last month Brooks became the first location in the province where COVID-19 tests took place for those without any symptoms. Dr. Lizette Elumir, medical officer of health AHS south zone, said about 4,000 tests were done at that stage. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, announced last week that a limited number of Calgary residents without symptoms would also be given the opportunity for a COVID-19 test. Hinshaw said the results of testing on asymptomatic people would provide data that would help to inform health officials. Brooks residents and anyone else who is experiencing symptoms such as aches, cough, headache, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, loss of sense of smell or taste, conjunctivitis or pink eye, should call HealthLink at 811 or use the AHS online assessment tool to determine if they meet the criteria for a test. According to data released by Alberta Health on Monday there have now been 1,060 COVID-19 cases in Brooks and 742 of those have already recovered. There have also been six deaths. 13-12
