COVID-19 testing moving in Red Deer to meet increasing demand

RED DEER — Local COVID-19 testing is moving to a new location, effective Oct. 15, to meet increasing demand for this service.

The new location, at 1780 49 Ave., offers additional space to increase testing capacity and provides a larger waiting area. It is a one-minute drive from the current location at Westerner Park, where the COVID-19 vaccination clinic will remain.

To facilitate the move, Alberta Health Services (AHS) will not offer COVID-19 testing services on Oct. 14. The AHS COVID-19 test booking tool will provide nearby testing options for eligible individuals wanting to book a test on Oct 14.

COVID-19 testing remains available by appointment for:

• Albertans with symptoms of COVID-19.
• Albertans who are linked to a known outbreak, whether symptomatic or not.
• Albertans who need COVID-19 testing for outgoing travel (provided by DynaLife Medical Labs and other private providers, such as pharmacies, for a fee).
• Albertans who receive a positive result from a rapid COVID-19 point-of-care test, through workplace or community asymptomatic screening.

Testing is not recommended for individuals who do not have symptoms and do not fall into the above list.

Albertans who don’t have access to the Internet can still call Health Link at 811 to book appointments.

AHS asks all individuals to wait in their cars until five minutes before their appointment time, and not to arrive more than 10 minutes early.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.