On this page
- Before going to an assessment centre
- Assessment and testing centres
- Pharmacies
- After you are tested
- Self-reporting positive results
- Rapid antigen screening
- Testing for travel
- Resources
If you require urgent care, call 911 or visit the hospital emergency department and advise them of your symptoms and travel history, if applicable.
For more information about when to visit an assessment centre or a pharmacy for testing, visit Ontario's COVID-19 testing and testing location information webpage.
Use the infographic: Why we test and where to go to help determine if you should make an appointment at an assessment centre or a pharmacy.
Please call the assessment centres below to schedule an appointment for testing.
Before going to an assessment centre
- If you have any symptoms use the self-assessment tool. For schools and child care centres, use the COVID-19 school and child care screening tool. The screening tool will help determine if you need to seek care, or testing, based on your symptoms. Follow the instructions in the tool.
- Determine whether you should visit an assessment centre or pharmacy for testing.
- You do not need a referral from a primary care provider or Public Health to access testing. All the assessment centres take self-referrals.
- If you are unable to leave your home for testing due to a medical condition, speak to your health care provider.
Assessment and testing centres
The types of swabs available at the testing centres are:
- Nasal Pharyngeal – Swab of choice for diagnosis of COVID-19
- Nasal Buccal (nose and cheek) – Less invasive swab, does not go as deep in the nose as the nasal pharyngeal swab
- Throat Nose – Swab for patients with nasal surgery or nasal complications
Note: This information is provided by the assessment centres and may change. For full details, visit the website for each assessment centre or check social media for updates.
| Location | Hours |
|---|---|
|
Cambridge-North Dumfries Community Assessment and Testing Centre (Cambridge Memorial Hospital) Book an appointment:
To cancel your appointment, please call 226-895-1050 and select option 3. |
8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
|
Grand River Hospital COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing Centre 15 Charles Street West, Kitchener (former Charles Street Transit Terminal) You do not need a car to be tested. There is a separate entrance for pedestrians. Book an appointment:
To cancel your appointment, please call 226-806-5690. |
7 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Seven days a week |
|
St. Mary's General Hospital COVID-19 Testing Centre Book an appointment:
To cancel your appointment, please call 226-989-4966. |
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
For assessment and testing information for health care workers please visit our Health Professionals page.
Pharmacies
You may seek testing at select pharmacies if you have symptoms, have been exposed to COVID-19, or do not have symptoms and you meet the testing criteria. View Ontario's COVID-19 testing and testing location information webpage for details on which local pharmacies perform COVID-19 testing.
After you are tested
If you get tested, refer to COVID-19 testing hand out for guidance on self-isolation.
Region of Waterloo Public Health offers a Safe Voluntary Isolation Site to support individuals who are unable to isolate safely at home. For more information on eligibility and how to apply, visit our Safe Voluntary Isolation Site webpage.
Test results
After you've had your COVID-19 test, it gets sent to a lab for testing. The result is reported to the Ontario Laboratories Information System, the Ministry’s repository for test results. Results can take a few days to become available.
Please be advised that Public Health does not receive negative test results and does not have the capacity to look up results for individuals requesting their results.
Public Health receives all positive results and will contact you directly if you test positive for having COVID-19.
You can access your test results:
- Online at Ontario’s COVID-19 test results website
- Online through laboratory portals you are subscribed to (e.g. Life Labs or Dynacare)
- By contacting your primary care provider
- By contacting the Assessment and Testing Centre where you were tested
Continue to follow the instructions given to you when you were tested while you wait for your results.
If you test positive for having COVID-19
- Refer to COVID-19 testing hand out for self-isolation guidance for yourself and your household members
If you test negative for having COVID-19
Continue to follow the instructions given to you when you got tested. Practice physical distancing, wear a face covering, wash your hands often and continue to self-monitor for symptoms. Get tested again if symptoms develop. Please refer to COVID-19 testing handout for more details.
Public Health is not able to provide you a copy of your results.
Please note: Region of Waterloo Public Health is not able to expedite test results for any reason including travel, medical procedures or visitation requirements at long-term care or retirement homes.
Self-reporting positive results
If you test positive for having COVID-19 you can self-report online through Contact+ on the Ministry's test results website.
By self-reporting, you will help us:
- Quickly locate and confirm accurate contact information
- Speed up call wait times
- Track and alert anyone you have been in close contact with
You will receive a unique 10-digit key that you can use with the COVID Alert App that will notify users if they have been exposed.
Rapid antigen screening (Rapid testing, point of care or POC testing)
| For individuals |
|
| For employers or organizations providing private POC testing |
|
| Resources for organizations prior to implementation |
|
| Reporting results for organizations performing Rapid Antigen Screening |
|
Testing for travel
Effective December 11, 2020, per provincial policy, you will no longer be able to get a publicly-funded COVID-19 test for international travel. COVID-19 tests for travellers are available through private providers for a fee. Please note: Region of Waterloo Public Health does not maintain a listing of private laboratory services.
Resources
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