As Covid-19 cases continue to rise, and with the arrival of the flu season, more and more people are beginning to experience cold symptoms. Whether these symptoms are indicative of the novel coronavirus or the seasonal flu, it is vital for everyone who requires it to get tested.
The Medium reached out to Meghna Parhar, a third-year forensics student, who wanted to get tested for Covid-19 after finding out that someone in her social circle had tested positive.
Parhar discussed her experience and the process of reaching out, booking, and getting the Covid-19 test in Mississauga.
“Most [Covid-19 testing areas] near UTM will require you to book an appointment online beforehand,” stated Parhar. “For someone who has no symptoms, you have to meet a certain criterion before they’ll book you for a test.”
Appointments are booked through an online assessment provided by Trillium Health Partners as well as Maple, a Canadian mobile application that allows users to connect with doctors.
“[The Maple app] is to sign up for a pre-consultation with a doctor,” said Parhar. “They’ll either video call you or call you on the phone to ask about why you need or want a Covid-19 test, if you’ve been feeling any symptoms, travelled outside of Canada in the past month, and if you are taking any medication.”
Following the pre-consultation, a representative from either the Mississauga Hospital or the Credit Valley Hospital will contact the patient to book an appointment. The appointments are usually scheduled for the same or following day.
However, the Credit Valley hospital testing only offers drive-thru services. Thus, students who do not have access to a vehicle will have to put in a special request to book their appointments at the Mississauga Hospital’s Covid-19 assessment centre, located at 15 Bronte College Court.
As she did not have access to a vehicle at the time, Meghna Parhar scheduled an appointment at the Mississauga Hospital and discussed the on-site safety precautions with a representative.
In the Mississauga Hospital, all visitors are separated by six-feet distance lines and must wait in tents outdoors. Frontline workers are required to wear scrubs, gloves, shower caps, and face visors. Hand sanitizer is mandatory upon entry to the facility, and everyone is provided with a brand-new face mask.
Once patients are called into the indoor waiting area, they will find that the seating area is cleaned and sanitized regularly. Moreover, all test administrators change and replace their gowns, gloves, and masks after each test they perform, and re-sanitize their hands.
Once a patient has been tested, the administrator will “give you a pamphlet of what to do next and how to check your results after the test.”
If the test results come back positive, the hospital will call the patient to trace their contacts. However, if the results are negative, visitors will be able to check their status on the Ministry of Health’s website with their health card number atcovid-19.ontario.ca.
“The testing centre was easy to find and easy to access,” states Parhar, who has since found out she tested negative for Covid-19.
For anyone experiencing symptoms, please reach out to your general practitioner or book an appointment through the Maple app.
