We understand you have questions. Please review the following answers to frequently asked questions. If you are still in need of support, you can send us an email with your question.
Do I need a COVID-19 test?
It is best you discuss your medical concerns with your health care provider — they can provide you with guidance specific to your situation.
Assessment Centres will only test those who fall within the Ontario provincial guidelines. This includes individuals who:
* Are showing COVID-19 symptoms. Learn more here
* Have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus, as informed by your public health unit or exposure notification through the COVID Alert app; or
* Live or work in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by your local public health unit; or
* Have no symptoms and require a test as an essential health care worker, for Long Term Care or retirement home visits, or a medical procedure (example: pre-operative or cancer treatment)
* Are eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative:
** Residents or workers in homeless shelters or other congregate settings
** International students that have passed their 14-day quarantine period
** Farm workers
** Individuals who identify as Indigenous
** Individuals, and one accompanying caregiver, with written prior approval for out-of-country medical services from the General Manager, OHIP
In** dividuals who are travelling into remote/isolated First Nation and Indigenous communities for work purposes.
** School staff inclusive of itinerant, supply specialty teachers, and childcare staff, and school bus drivers.
Prior to booking an appointment, please review the provincial guidelines here to determine whether it is appropriate to book an appointment.
Yes, you should be tested, as you have been exposed to a confirmed case. The Middlesex-London Health Unit will contact anyone who is identified in contact tracing, and they will arrange for an appointment. Otherwise, you can choose to go to either of the Assessment Centres.
It is best you discuss your medical concerns with your health care provider or the Middlesex-London Health Unit for next steps. You can reach the Middlesex-London Health Unit COVID-19 Hot Line at 519-663-5317 and follow the voice prompts. This number is answered Monday – Sunday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Health Unit can also be emailed at [email protected].
You can also review the Ontario government COVID-19 screening tool for children: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/covid19-cms-assets/2020-10/Screening%20Children%20v1.0%202020-10-01%20FINAL%20EN%20AODA.pdf
Yes, please keep your COVID-19 test appointment and be tested. You may still have the virus even after symptoms improve, and still be contagious.
Booking a COVID-19 Test Appointment
An appointment is needed for a COVID-19 test at the Oakridge and Carling Assessment Centres. Check the online booking page to book your appointment.
Only 5 days’ worth of appointment slots are available at a time. Please visit our Online Booking page up to five days before your required test date to book an appointment.
Effective Friday, January 15, 2021, London COVID-19 Assessment Centres will no longer be testing individuals who are travelling outside of Canada and require a COVID-19 test before travelling or entering their country of destination. This is in compliance with a change in testing criteria from the Province of Ontario.
Individuals requiring testing for international travel clearance should consult their travel carrier for the most up-to-date information. Travellers needing a COVID-19 test should now search for other options, including private testing facilities. For alternative local testing options, visit our International Travel Testing page.
At this time we are not able to book recurring tests. Only 5 days’ worth of appointment slots are available at a time. Please visit our Online Booking page up to five days before your next required test date to book an appointment.
Weekend appointments are available at the Carling Assessment Centre. Please visit our Online Booking to book an appointment.
Please check your Junk Mail/Spam folder to see if your confirmation email is there. Some email providers may also take longer to receive the email.
The COVID-19 test performed by Assessment Centres is free. The cost is covered by the province with OHIP. If you do not have a valid Ontario Health Card, the province will still cover the cost of the test.
Testing for international travel performed by pharmacies will require a fee.
You do not need a health card to be tested. You will need to provide one piece of identification that proves your legal name, the name for the person the appointment is booked for. This can be a health card, or another piece of ID such as a driver’s license or passport. The ID must be physically present at the time of the appointment.
You will need a health card to access results online. If you do not have a health card, you can contact the Middlesex-London Health Unit COVID-19 Hot Line at 519-663-5317 and follow the voice prompts. This number is answered Monday – Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Health Unit can also be emailed at [email protected].
Neither of the Assessment Centres provide drive-thru testing. Anyone attending an Assessment Centre to receive a test will have to go inside the building for testing.
You can arrive by bus, cab, or on foot to either Assessment Centre at the time of your appointment. Visit the online booking system to book an appointment.
Yes, both Assessment Centres are wheelchair-accessible, and there are a limited number of wheelchairs available at each site if necessary.
There is no preparation needed for the COVID-19 test. Find out more about the test here: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/understanding-covid-19-testing.html
If it is a young child that’s being tested, you can find tips on preparing your child for a test online.
When registering for your appointment, there will be triage questions. Depending on those answers, and any other symptoms you are experiencing, staff may run a few tests. Testing your blood pressure and heart rate are common.
We understand there is concern of heading to an Assessment Centre of being exposed to COVID-19. Please know that we take several precautions to ensure the safety of everyone at the Centre.
Our Assessment Centres only have a certain number of appointments in each slot, which is why a test requires an appointment. This allows us to maintain strong physical distance between everyone inside.
While in the Centre, those waiting for a test are very physically distanced thanks to the large space of the Centre.
Anything that someone comes into contact with is thoroughly cleaned afterwards by a sanitation team.
We are proud to say that we have not reported a single case of Assessment Centre staff testing positive for COVID-19 during the entirety of the Centres’ operations.
We do not run serology (antibody) testing at the Assessment Centres. If you require this test, please speak with your primary care physician.
No, you can not get a vaccine for COVID-19 at our Assessment Centres. Please visit the Middlesex-London Health Unit’s website for the latest update on vaccine roll-out: https://www.covidvaccinelm.ca/
We do not provide proof of testing. The proof of testing will be your results. If you need to print off your results that include specific information, contact the Middlesex-London Health Unit COVID-19 Hot Line at 519-663-5317 and follow the voice prompts. This line is open Monday to Sunday from 8:30AM to 4:30PM. You can also email [email protected]
Cancelling a COVID-19 Test
Please cancel an appointment if you have already received a test and no longer need that time. When you cancel, it means that space opens up for someone else to be tested.
Cancelling an online appointment is easy – click the link in the confirmation email or text, and your appointment will be cancelled.
No, please do not cancel your test. You may still have the virus, and still be contagious, even if your symptoms have improved. Please keep your appointment time and be tested for COVID-19.
International Travel and COVID-19 Testing
London COVID-19 Assessment Centres no longer test individuals who are travelling outside of Canada and require a COVID-19 test before travelling or entering their country of destination. This is in compliance with a change in testing criteria from the Province of Ontario.
Individuals requiring testing for international travel clearance should consult their travel carrier for the most up-to-date information. Travellers needing a COVID-19 test should now search for other options, including private testing facilities. For alternative local testing options, visit our International Travel Testing page.
There may be a fee associated with a test for international travel. Please consult the testing site for that fee.
When returning from any international travel, you must quarantine for 14 days as per the Government of Canada’s Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order. A negative COVID-19 test does not shorten this time period, and you must remain in quarantine for the complete 14 day period.
To learn more, visit the Government of Canada’s website.
Hospital/Medical Procedures and COVID-19 Testing
Only 5 days’ worth of appointment slots are available at a time. Please visit our Online Booking page up to five days before your required test date to book an appointment.
COVID-19 Test Results
Testing is done by Provincial Laboratories and turnaround times depend on the number of tests waiting to be processed. If you go to an Assessment Centre, the usual turnaround is 3-5 days. Pharmacy test results may also take 3-5 days. Anyone who receives a positive result will be contacted by the Middlesex-London Health Unit with next steps.
If you are having trouble accessing your results online and have a valid Ontario Health Card, please visit the Help Page for test results portal: https://covid19results.ehealthontario.ca:4443/help.
Assessment Centres don’t have access to test results so if you’re still not able to get your results, please contact the Middlesex-London Health Unit COVID-19 Hot Line at 519-663-5317 and follow the voice prompts. This number is answered Monday – Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Health Unit can also be emailed at [email protected].
Contact the Middlesex-London Health Unit COVID-19 Hot Line at 519-663-5317 and follow the voice prompts. This line is open Monday to Friday from 8:30AM to 4:30PM. You can also email [email protected]