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Manitoba has set out its strategic plan to immediately distribute and begin rapid COVID-19 testing, as part of the province's comprehensive plan to help protect Manitobans at greatest risk from the virus.
Province advises of new COVID test site.
The Manitoba government and Doctors Manitoba are working together to enable COVID-19 testing at community medical clinics by physicians.
The Manitoba government is introducing new, more convenient ways for people to access COVID-19 testing in Winnipeg and positive test results online.
The Government of Manitoba opened a new testing site in Brandon, Manitoba as of October 16, 2020.
The Government of Manitoba announced that a new mobile testing site for COVID-19 will open on September 30, 2020.
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ACCESS AND ELIGIBILITY
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Manitoba just received 13 rapid test devices, called the Abbott ID NOW, along with enough supplies for more than 4,000 tests. Based on public health advice, most devices will be located in remote communities, including Swan River, The Pas, Churchill, Thompson, Lynn Lake, Gillam and Flin Flon, where delays due to transportation issues, weather or other factors could affect access to traditional testing and a timely public health response. These communities also have existing lab infrastructure, which is needed for rapid tests.
A new drive-thru COVID-19 testing site will open Oct. 31 at the Manitoba Public Insurance building at 125 King Edward St. in Winnipeg. The new site will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and will add immediate additional capacity in Winnipeg, performing up to 400 tests per day once fully established.
Dakota Medical Centre at 17-845 Dakota St. in Winnipeg will be the first to introduce dedicated COVID-19 testing in community clinics. Testing at this location will become available in the coming days and more information about how to access testing will be available soon, the minister added.
A new, appointment-based scheduling system for COVID-19 tests will be implemented. The system is rolling out in Winnipeg first to help address the high demand for tests across the city.
A new drive-up site for COVID-19 testing opened at Keystone Centre, 1175-18th St. in Brandon. The new Keystone Centre testing site will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and weekends, and from noon to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The site will add immediate additional capacity in Brandon, performing up to 120 tests per day once fully established, adding to the overall system capacity in Manitoba's second-largest city.
The mobile testing site is located at 1181 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg operating from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week. The locations of the additional new drive-thru sites will include one site in east Winnipeg on Regent Avenue West, one in the Polo Park area on King Edward Street and one in the south part of the city, with the option to add a fourth site in Winnipeg if needed.
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