Closing COVID-19 Testing and Assessment Centre at West 5th Campus on March 31
March 23, 2023
St. Joe’s has reached a pivotal moment in a three-year campaign to protect the health and safety of our patients, healthcare workers and the community. The COVID-19 Testing and Assessment Centre and the Flu, COVID and Cold Clinic at the West 5th Campus will be closed at the end of this month. The move is in response to a sustained drop in the prevalence of COVID-19 and a decline in appointment bookings for testing, attributed to uptake in vaccinations, higher levels of immunity, and declining circulation of the virus in the community.
“This feels like a celebratory moment for all of us,” says Dr. Greg Rutledge, Deputy Chief of Staff, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. “It’s been a long time getting to this point where we see a significant drop in COVID-19 transmission.”
Ready access to COVID-19 testing in the community through most pharmacies will meet the needs of the public and health care workers.
More than 390,000 tests have been done at the Testing and Assessment Centre through the past three years.
The establishment of a centre dedicated to public testing and assessment of an unknown virus would not have been possible had it not been for the commitment and resolve of St. Joe’s dedicated healthcare workers and our partners from family health teams. The people behind the centre as well as the clinic came together with a common purpose - to best protect our community.
“We are proud of your efforts and thank everyone who had a hand in helping us reach this milestone,” says Melissa Farrell, President, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
The last day of operation for both the Testing and Assessment Centre and the Flu, COVID and Cold Clinic will be Friday, March 31, 2023.
After March 31, we encourage everyone to know all of their health-care options:
- If this is an emergency, call 9-1-1.
- Contact your family doctor.
- Go to needadoc.ca to learn more.