Appointment only drive-thru coronavirus testing station established

A drive through coronavirus (COVID-19) testing station is being set up in the Summerside area.

According to an email sent to residents of the nearby provincially owned residential neighborhood, the ad-hoc screening clinic will be for people who have already been assessed by the 811 telehealth system.

“Individuals coming to the clinic will have been identified through Health P.E.I. established screening process and given a specific appointment time to arrive,” the email stated. The email stressed that this clinic is not open to the general public unless they have called 811 and were given an appointment to get tested.

It also indicated that residents in the area of the clinic can expect to see extra signage and traffic flow in the coming days.

Drive-thru testing stations are a tactic that has been implemented in a number other jurisdictions in Canada as well as internationaly as governments try to minimize personto-person contact and stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The Journal Pioneer reached out to the Department of Health for more information about the testing clinic but a spokesperson indicated that the department will not be discussing the locations of its testing sites as it wishes to avoid the public unnecessarily accessing these sites.

Health P.E.I. has previously stated that there are two coronavirus screening centres on the Island, one in Charlottetown and one in Summerside but more could be added if needed.