Central Health would like to advise that starting Sunday, May 23, residents who live in the Lewisporte – Summerford area who have COVID-19 symptoms, will have access to Rapid COVID-19 testing.
Clinics will be held at the Salvation Army Church in Lewisporte on Sunday, May 23, from 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., and Monday, May 24, from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
There will be no process for appointment booking. Individuals are asked to present to the clinic and remain in their vehicles until advised to move inside. Individuals are asked to remain patient, respectful and to expect some wait time depending on how many people show up at any given time.
Not everyone who presents will receive rapid testing as it is only applicable to people who have had symptoms for fewer than seven days.
Those who have NOT had symptoms within the past seven days will receive the standard COVID-19 test.
Process for receiving results
As with the standard COVID-19 test, test results will not be available to patients at the point of testing.
If you have a rapid test, the testing team will get a result within 15 - 30 minutes. This result is "presumptive", meaning that it needs to be confirmed with a second test that will be done by the provincial Public Health lab. All individuals with symptoms are advised to isolate. If the presumptive result is positive, the patient will be contacted by Public Health and the contact tracing process will begin immediately while waiting for confirmation by the provincial Public Health lab.
If a negative presumptive result is confirmed to be negative, the results will be posted on the Government NL once it is validated by the Public Health lab.
This broader testing is part of the public health investigation to determine how community members may have acquired their infection with the COVID-19 virus. Being tested is an opportunity to help protect the health of all residents.
Everyone is reminded to follow public health measures including wearing masks, practicing good hand hygiene, staying home as much as possible, avoiding entering stores or establishments outside the community and avoid holding gatherings for the time being.
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Gayle St. Croix
Director of Communications and Government Relations
Central Health
cell: (709) 572 1165
