Skip to content

COVID-19 assessment centre opens in Moose Factory

Testing expected to increase once communities open up
2020-06-05 Moose  Factory assessment centre. Sourced
Weeneebayko Area Health Authority shared this photo on Facebook of the COVID-19 assessment centre in Moose Factory that opened on May 27.

The new COVID-19 assessment centre in Moose Factory is now taking appointments.

In partnership with the Moose Cree First Nation, Porcupine Health Unit, MoCreebec Eeyoud Council and Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA), the centre opened its doors May 27.

“That partnership is really special because they want to make sure that the healthcare closest to home is the focus and that the Cree people of our region have access to healthcare closest to home,” said WAHA’s director of corporate communications and partnerships Yolaine Kirlew.

“These measures in conjunction with these partners are ensuring that the community has what it needs and that testing is available as per their need and that information is available.”

The centre is operated out of the assisted living building at 2 Amisk St. There is four staff working at the Moose Factory centre: one registered practical nurse, one registered nurse, clerk and housekeeping support staff.

To date, 20 people have been tested in Moose Factory, all with negative results.  

As of June 5, there have been a total of 533 tests done in the James Bay and Hudson Bay region by WAHA. There have been 484 negative tests and 49 are pending results.

Kirlew said the new centre is meant to increase testing in addition to the existing testing system that’s been in place since the start of the pandemic.

“It’s about the communities and these stakeholders coming together to establish a safe place to make sure the population has the testing that they need, locally,” she said.

Testing at Moose Factory is available Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The decision to start operating three times a week was done based on the staffing capacity and on the volume of calls asking for tests, Kirlew explained, and because only under 20 tests are being done daily in the region.

“It didn’t make sense to have the place open all the time when the volume wasn’t as high.”

Kirlew noted she expects an increased interest in testing once communities open up and more people start travelling.

For appointments, call Moose Factory Health Centre at 705-658-4220 between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Patients also have an option to get tested from home by a member of the WAHA paramedic team.

For more information and other testing locations, visit WAHA’s website.


Reader Feedback

Dariya Baiguzhiyeva

About the Author: Dariya Baiguzhiyeva

Dariya Baiguzhiyeva is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering diversity issues for TimminsToday. The LJI is funded by the Government of Canada
Read more