Toronto Region COVID-19 Assessment Centres

A number of dedicated assessment centres have been established across the city of Toronto to facilitate assessment and testing.

Toronto Region COVID-19 assessment centres are as follows:

Humber River Hospital

Michael Garron Hospital

Mount Sinai Hospital

North York General Hospital

Scarborough Health Network – Birchmount Hospital

Scarborough Health Network – Centenary Hospital

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

UHN Toronto Western Hospital

Unity – St. Joseph’s Health Centre

Unity – St. Michael’s Hospital

Women’s College Hospital.

Due to evidence of community spread of COVID-19 in Toronto, the assessment centers in the Toronto Region will be shifting their focus to people who are at risk of transmitting COVID-19 to large groups of people. Everyone else, even those with mild symptoms who have returned from travel, do not need testing, unless they get sick enough to go to an emergency department. See criteria below.

Toronto Public Health (TPH) is not an assessment centre and testing is not provided at TPH offices.

Who Should Not Visit an Assessment Centre

• People with mild symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection (cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, runny nose, and joint aches, and may also include nausea, diarrhea and stomach pains) OR fever, who are not at high-risk of transmission to larger groups (see below)
  • Instead, self-isolate at home for 14 days
• People with no symptoms who have travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days
  • Instead, self-isolate at home for 14 days
  • Healthcare workers should follow their organization specific policy related to return to work after travel
• People with no symptoms who have not travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days
  • Instead, self-monitor  for 14 days
  • Practice physical distancing

Who Should Visit an Assessment Centre

• People with mild symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection (cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, runny nose, and joint aches, and may also include nausea, diarrhea and stomach pains) OR fever, AND
• Are at high risk of transmission to larger groups of people including:

• Those who work within at-risk settings including any healthcare setting (e.g., acute care, complex continuing care and rehabilitation hospitals; primary care; paramedics; long-term care homes; retirement homes; reactivation centres; dialysis centres), congregate settings (e.g. homeless shelters, group homes, respite centres, correctional facilities); school or childcare centre; first responders (police, paramedics, firefighters – if they have not already been tested through their own Occupational Health and Safety Department)
• Those who reside in vulnerable settings including acute care, complex continuing care and rehabilitation hospitals; long-term care homes; retirement homes; reactivation centres; congregate settings (e.g. homeless shelters, group homes, respite centres, correctional facilities) and those who are patients at dialysis centres

Symptomatic patients should self-isolate while waiting to reach Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000) or seeking medical attention.

Who Should Go to Their Nearest Emergency Department

People who have symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection (cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, runny nose, and joint aches, and may also include nausea, diarrhea and stomach pains) and any of the following more severe symptoms:

• shortness of breath when walking, exercising, or at rest, which is unusual
• chest pain or discomfort
• weakness that impairs ability to carry out activities of daily living, such as showering, preparing meals, and dressing
• lethargy or drowsiness
• dizziness

If you are not well enough to take personal transportation, call 911.

The following infants and children should also be assessed in the emergency department:

• Infants under 3 months of age with fever or trouble breathing or appear unwell
• Children and infants over 3 months of age with any of the following:
  • Fever longer than 7 days
  • fast breathing or trouble breathing
  • bluish skin colour
  • not drinking enough fluids
  • not waking up or not interacting
  • being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
  • fever with a rash
  • constant vomiting

If you are Unsure

People who are unsure if they should visit an assessment centre should:

• call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 and speak with a registered nurse who will guide whether you will require further care or potential testing in person, or
• call their primary care provider

OHIP coverage is not required to be seen at a COVID-19 Assessment Centre. The assessment is provided at no cost to the individual.