Assessment Centres

Do you have any symptoms of COVID-19, even mild, such as a sore throat or runny nose?  Are you asymptomatic but concerned you may have been exposed to COVID-19 or are at risk of exposure due to your employment?

Testing is available by appointment. Appointments continue to be booked for Assessment and Testing Centres in order to decrease wait times, ensure an orderly flow and to protect patients and staff by ensuring a safe physical space can be provided at the sites. You can get an appointment time by calling your family doctor or Hamilton Public Health Services at 905-974-9848.

Assessment & Testing Centres in Hamilton

Drive-Through COVID-19 Testing Centre
Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena
25 Hester Street, Hamilton
Hours of Operation: 11 am to 4 pm daily

East End Assessment Centre
2757 King Street East, Hamilton
Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday 4 to 8 pm | Saturday & Sunday 10 am to 2 pm

West End Assessment Centre
690 Main Street West, Hamilton
Hours of Operation: Sunday to Friday 11 am to 5 pm | Saturday 9 am to 5 pm

Check the provincial online portal to get your COVID-19 test results. 
It may take up to 7 days to receive test results for COVID-19. Thank you for your patience.

 

COVID-19 Symptoms and Testing

Any individuals who are experiencing one symptom or sign from this list should get tested:

  • Fever
  • New or worsening: cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, difficulty swallowing, change in taste or smell, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
  • Atypical signs and symptoms (particularly in children, older persons and persons living with a developmental disability): unexplained fatigue, delirium, unexplained/increased falls, headache, chills, croup, conjunctivitis (pink eye), multisystem inflammatory vasculitis (in children), unexplained tachycardia and decreased blood pressure.
  • Signs in young children may include lethargy and/or decreased feeding.

Individuals who are not experiencing symptoms should get tested if: 

  • They are concerned that they have been exposed to COVID-19, including people who are contacts of or may have been exposed to a confirmed or suspected case.
  • They are at risk of exposure to COVID-19 through their employment, including essential workers (e.g., health care workers, grocery store employees, food processing plants). 

Book an appointment to get tested through:

  • Your doctor
  • Hamilton Public Health Services COVID-19 Hotline at 905-974-9848

If you require urgent care, visit an Emergency Department or call 911, and inform them of your travel and contact history and symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Assessment Centre

The drive-through COVID-19 Testing Centre at 25 Hester St. is open from 11 am to 4 pm.

The West End COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 690 Main St. West is open from 11 am to 5 pm Sunday to Friday and 9 am to 5 pm on Saturdays.

The East End COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 2757 King Street East is open Monday to Friday 4 to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm.

If you are symptomatic after the Centre is closed and you do not need emergency care, please continue to self-isolate and call to book an appointment the following day.

If you need emergency care at any time, please go to your nearest emergency department or call 911.

No. If you are in distress (e.g., significant trouble breathing, chest pain, fainting, or have a significant worsening of any chronic disease symptoms), do not go to the Assessment Centre. Go to the nearest Emergency Department or call 911.

  • In order to decrease wait times, ensure an orderly flow and to protect patients and staff by ensuring a safe physical space can be provided at the sites, we are  booking appointments at Assessment Centres.
  • You can get an appointment time from your family doctor or Hamilton Public Health Services at 905-974-9848

Bring your Ontario health card and a list of your current medications. Wait times will depend on patient volume.

Yes. The COVID-19 Assessment Centres and Testing Centres can assess and test both children and adults who have appointments. Do not bring your child if they are well and do not need to be screened.

  • The test involves taking a sample from the back of the nasal cavity with a swab.
  • Information about how to manage symptoms and next steps will be provided.

  • You can get test results on the provincial online portal

As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe care and work environment in the COVID-19 Assessment Centres, visitors who are not being tested will not be allowed to join patients in the Assessment Centre with the following exceptions:

  • An adult accompanying a child who is a patient, a frail older person, a person with a disability
  • Anyone acting as an interpreter

For those visiting the drive-through Ttesting Ccentre, please do not bring individuals in the vehicle who do not have an appointment (with the exception of those outlined above).

The safety of all staff, physicians, volunteers, students, patients, families and visitors remains a top priority. All patients visiting the COVID-19 Assessment Centres will be required to wear the mask provided and use the hand sanitizer prior to entering the facility.

  • Areas for screening and assessment will be kept separate to reduce the risk of spreading infection.
  • Everyone will be asked to sanitize their hands and put on a mask at the Centre entrance.
  • Please also be mindful to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Yes. Your personal health information is protected under Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).
  • The following information will be reported on the Ministry of Health of Ontario’s website:
    • Patient age and gender
    • Public Health Unit
    • Hospital involved
    • Type of transmission
    • Status (e.g. home isolation)

If you have been tested for COVID-19 at the local Assessment Centres or Testing Centre, check the provincial online portal to get your results. It may take up to seven days to receive test results for COVID-19. Hamilton Public Health Services will follow-up with you only if you test positive for COVID-19.

While waiting for test results continue to self-Isolate.

If you receive a positive test result

  • Continue to self-isolate and a public health nurse will call you within 24 hours. If you need to speak to someone more immediately, call the Public Health Services COVID-19 hotline at (905) 974-9848.

If you receive a negative test result

  • If you have had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, you should continue self-isolating for the remainder of the time required as a contact of a confirmed case.  If your symptoms persist or worsen, contact your doctor or public health so that re-testing can be considered. For those who had previously been instructed by public health to isolate, you should remain in isolation for the remainder of the required 14 days.
  • If you have not had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, tested negative but still have symptoms: continue to self-isolate until you are feeling well (ie, your symptoms have resolved).  If your symptoms persist or worsen, contact your doctor or public health to discuss next steps. 
  • If you have not had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, tested negative and have no symptoms: you can resume your normal activities, including returning to work.

For pending test results

  • If your test results indicate they are indeterminate, pending or in progress, your test has not yet been completed.  As such, please check back later for your test results. 

No. The Assessment Centres and Testing Centre have been established strictly to screen and assess patients for COVID-19. Notes for employment or other purposes will not be provided by physicians or other clinical staff.