Windsor Regional Hospital is expanding the weekday hours of operation for its COVID-19 assessment centre.
The move is being made in response to consistently high volumes of individuals seeking a swab test for the virus.
Starting on Monday July 13, the Ouellette centre will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Hours on Saturdays and Sundays are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hospital President and CEO David Musyj says with the heat, it's difficult to find spots for everyone in an air conditioned setting.
"We've done our best and expanded the internal "waiting area" to get more people inside the building to wait but the staff is processing individuals through as quickly as they can, as safely as they can," says Musyj.
He says there is still a tent set up outside of the assessment centre.
"We are handing out water," says Musyj. "People are able to access the bathrooms and not lose their space in line."
Musyj says recent testing volumes have increased based largely on the need for testing before surgeries, as well as by individuals who require a test before visiting loved ones at local long-term care and retirement homes.
Individuals who require a COVID-19 test as a pre-operative requirement will be notified directly of when to attend the Assessment Centre for their own testing.
On Wednesday, the assessment centre saw a new record 329 visitors, breaking the previous high of 321 visitors on June 30.
In total, 14,256 individuals have attended the COVID-19 Assessment Centre for testing since it opened on
March 16.
- with files from AM800's Rob Hindi