COVID-19 Testing Available in Corner Brook and Meadows
Western Health is encouraging residents in Corner Brook and in the North Shore, Bay of Islands to access COVID-19 testing whether or not they are symptomatic due to recent cases in the Western region. This broader testing is part of a public health investigation to determine how community members may have acquired COVID-19 and whether there has been transmission within the community. Testing is available by appointment only. Being tested is an opportunity to help protect the health of all residents. There was a new case identified in Western Region today who is a close contact of a previous case and is not related to this investigation.
Booking an appointment
To arrange testing, individuals are asked to complete the online self-assessment and referral tool available here or call 811. When asked do you require a COVID-19 test as a result of an advisory from Public Health? (e.g., a flight or a public place connected to a COVID-19 case), please select “YES.”
Following the completion of the online self-assessment or call to 811, residents will be contacted to book an appointment time for the location closest to them. There will be two drive through testing sites available available Monday to Wednesday, April 12 to April 14, the town hall in Meadows and at the former St. Gerard’s Elementary School in Corner Brook.
Testing
Two tests will be completed for each individual, a rapid test which provide presumptive results and a standard COVID-19 test.
All individuals with symptoms are advised to isolate. Individuals who do not have symptoms do not need to isolate unless they have been advised to do so by public health.
Process for receiving results
The testing team will get a result within 15 - 30 minutes. This result is "presumptive", meaning that it needs to be confirmed with the second test (standard COVID-19 test) that will be sent to the provincial Public Health lab. If the presumptive result is positive, the individual 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, it will be posted on the Government of NL COVID-19 Patient Results portal once it is validated by the Public Health lab. Final results are normally available within 24 hours.
Everyone is reminded to follow public health measures including wearing masks, staying home when sick, practicing good hand hygiene, staying home as much as possible unless necessary for work and other essential activities, and following provincial public health requirements and recommendations.