A nurse gets a swab ready at a temporary COVID-19 test clinic in Montreal, on Friday, May 15, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)
A new mobile testing site for COVID-19 has opened in Winnipeg to help alleviate some of the long lines seen throughout the city for people waiting to get tested.
Manitoba Health says the new testing site at 1181 Portage Avenue opened Wednesday morning. It will operate daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week.
The province is also working to set up three new drive-thru sites in the city. They will be located in east Winnipeg on Regent Avenue West, in the Polo Park area on King Edward Street and one in the south part of the city. An option remains to add a fourth site in Winnipeg if needed.
In addition, drive-thru sites will be opened in Brandon, Winkler, Portage la Prairie and Dauphin in the coming weeks.
The province will provide additional information about locations in these communities as sites open.
The demand for COVID-19 testing has skyrocketed in recent weeks after positive cases of the virus soared in Manitoba. Some Winnipeggers reported waiting in line for up to six hours at the Main Street drive-thru testing site earlier this week.
Only Manitobans experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should go for testing. Shared Health’s online screening tool is an easy way to determine whether or not you should seek a test.
