COVID-19 Testing

Local area residents should only seek PCR/molecular testing for COVID-19 if they are eligible

The following people are eligible for PCR or rapid molecular testing:

Symptomatic people who fall into one of the following groups:

• People aged 70 years and older
• People aged 60 years and older who have less than three doses of COVID-19 vaccine
• People who are immunocompromised
• Adults aged 18 years and older who have had less than three doses of COVID-19 vaccine and have risk conditions:
  • obesity (BMI ≥ 30kg/m2)
  • diabetes
  • heart disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure
  • chronic respiratory disease, including cystic fibrosis
  • cerebral palsy
  • intellectual disability
  • sickle cell disease
  • moderate or severe kidney disease (eGFR <60mL/min)
  • moderate or severe liver disease (e.g., Child Pugh Class B or C cirrhosis)
• Pregnant people
• Patient-facing healthcare workers
• Staff, volunteers, residents/inpatients, essential care providers, and visitors in highest risk settings
  • Highest risk settings include: hospitals (including complex continuing care facilities and paramedic services), and congregate living settings1 with medically and socially vulnerable individuals, including, but not limited to long-term care homes, retirement homes, First Nation elder care lodges, group homes, shelters, hospices, correctional institutions, and hospital schools.
• Household members of staff in highest risk settings and patient-facing health care workers
• Home and community care workers
• Staff and students in Provincial and Demonstration Schools
• International Agriculture Workers in congregate living settings
• Patients seeking emergency medical care, at the discretion of the treating clinician
• Other outpatients for whom a diagnostic test is required for clinical management, at the discretion of the treating clinician
• People who are underhoused or experiencing homelessness
• First responders, including fire, police and paramedics

Symptomatic/asymptomatic people:

• Individuals who are from a First Nation, Inuit, Métis community, and/or who self-identify as First Nation, Inuit, and Métis, and their household members
• Individuals travelling into First Nation, Inuit, Métis communities for work
• On admission/transfer to or from hospital or congregate living setting
• People in the context of confirmed or suspected outbreaks in highest risk settings as directed by the local public health unit
• Individuals, and one accompanying caregiver, with written prior approval for out-of-country medical services from the General Manager, Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)
• Any patient with a scheduled surgical procedure requiring a general anaesthetic 24-48 hours prior to procedure date
• Newborns born to people with confirmed COVID-19 at the time of birth within 24 hours of delivery, with a repeat test at 48 hours after birth if baseline test is negative, or if the parental test results are pending at the time of discharge
• People 24-48 hours prior to treatment for cancer or prior to hemodialysis, at the discretion of the treating clinician

How to get tested if eligible:

1. Complete the Lakeridge Health online assessment form by visiting covid19swab.lh.ca to get an appointment at a local COVID-19 Assessment Centre.
2. Find another COVID-19 testing location in Ontario.

Accessing your test results

If you have a green photo health card:

COVID-19 test results can be accessed online through the Ontario government COVID-19 test results website. It may take up to five days for results to be posted on the website.

If you do not have a health card, and/or have a red and white health card, and/or do not have internet access:

Call the COVID Assessment Results Line or contact your primary care provider at least five days after you have been tested. When contacting the COVID Assessment Results Line at 905-721-4842 follow the automated instructions to leave a voice mail.

Please provide the following in your voice mail:

• Full name
• Health card number
• Date of test
• Phone number

If you test positive for COVID-19 on a PCR or molecular test, you may be contacted by your local public health unit or the provincial case and contact management team by phone or text message. For more information about your positive test result, please visit durham.ca/CovidInfoHub.