The demand for COVID-19 testing continues to be extremely high in the Peterborough area. Within hours of a three-day pop-up testing clinic being announced, all available appointments were booked.
At around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon (December 21), Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) announced a pop-up testing clinic would be held at St. Peter Catholic Secondary School (730 Medical Drive) from December 22 to 24. By 5:30 p.m., all available appointments had been booked.
The increased demand for testing comes as the omicron variant continues to spread across Ontario, with a significant increase in confirmed cases locally.
As of Tuesday afternoon, there are 156 active cases of COVID-19 in the Peterborough area, with most being reported over the past week.
Residents are also seeking testing in advance of holiday gatherings. Long line-ups have been reported for earlier distributions of rapid antigen testing kits in Peterborough, with many people not being able to obtain a kit. Rapid antigen tests are used to determine whether a person requires a PCR test to confirm a COVID-19 infection.
While PRHC continues to offer testing services at the hospital’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre, “demand continues to be extremely high” according to a media release from PRHC. More information about booking a test through the COVID-19 Assessment Centre can be found at prhc.on.ca/about-us/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/getting-tested-for-covid19/
