Drive-thru COVID testing centre in Mississauga closes line early due to high demand

A drive-thru testing centre in Mississauga has closed its line early due to “exceptionally high demand.”

Trillium Health Partners, which operates three COVID-19 testing centres in Mississauga, recently took to social media to announce that it’s no longer accepting entries at its drive-thru testing centre at Credit Valley Hospital due to an overwhelming demand for tests. 

Due to exceptionally high demand, the line at THP's Drive-Thru #COVID19 Assessment Centre is now closed for the day & @getmaple, our online appointment booking system, is temporarily unavailable. ⚠

If you are asymptomatic, consider postponing your visit & watch for symptoms. pic.twitter.com/0KF1VJvv31

— Trillium Health Partners (@THP_hospital) September 16, 2020

“Due to exceptionally high demand, the line at THP’s Drive-Thru COVID-19 Assessment Centre is now closed for the day,” THP tweeted, adding that Maple, its online appointment booking system, is temporarily unavailable. 

“If you are asymptomatic, consider postponing your visit and watch for symptoms.” 

The testing centre is typically open until 7:30 pm. 

The announcement comes after Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie urged asymptomatic people (meaning those who are not currently experiencing any COVID-19 related symptoms such as a fever, cough or shortness of breath) to refrain from lining up for a test. 

During a Sept. 16 press conference, Crombie said that many asymptomatic people are getting tested because they plan to return to work, see a loved one or travel. 

“Most asymptomatic people are testing negative but need a test to go back to work or to travel, so the number of asymptomatic people is high and they need to consider being tested elsewhere,” Crombie said during a Sept. 16 council meeting. 

At the same meeting, Crombie said that Michelle DiEmanuele, President and CEO of Trillium Health Partners, confirmed that people have reported waiting as long as five hours for a COVID-19 test. 

“We are testing between 1,000 and 1,300 people a day,” Crombie said, adding that Premier Doug Ford recently announced that the province is working to launch more community test sites for people with no symptoms.

Acknowledinging that the demand for testing is skyrocketing, Ford said that the Ontario government is working with the private sector to set up testing sites at pharmacies and other appropriate locations. 

During the council meeting, Crombie said she hopes to hear more news about testing from the province and THP this week.