St. Lawrence Health System has established four COVID-19 Testing Centers that are available to county residents by appointment.
Testing sites in Canton, Gouverneur, Massena, and Potsdam are for individuals who have been in known contact with a person known to be COVID-positive, are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (including fever, cough, shortness of breath, unexplained severe fatigue, and/or loss of taste or smell), and patients with referrals from the Department of Health.
St. Lawrence Health System has established a Hotline for people to call to make an appointment. The Hotline is (315) 261-6240, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm. Area residents may also call the St. Lawrence County Department of Health at (315) 229-3448 to inquire about an appointment.
“All of our staff at the test centers have been thoroughly trained in the safe collection of swabs and are following tight protocols to ensure every safety measure is in place. It’s equally important for those arriving at a testing center to follow the identified rules and next steps to ensure everyone’s safety,” Dr. Grimshaw stated. “We are prepared and available to care for our community and we strongly encourage anyone who feels they have symptoms related to COVID-19 to please call the SLHS Hotline or the Department of Health. It’s important that we identify and provide appropriate next steps to those individuals who are COVID positive.”
When an appointment for testing has been established, you will be instructed to abide by the following:
· You must arrive in a personal vehicle. Due to the increased risk of contamination, as well as current shortages of personal protective equipment, walk-ups are not permitted at this time.
· Each person to be tested must be seated next to a working window.
· Limit vehicle passengers to those needing a test.
· Have a photo ID for all persons registered for testing that includes name and date of birth (can be New York driver's license, state-issued ID, or passport).
· Please bring tissues and a washcloth/towel.
You will be required to provide your full name, current address, and the best phone number to reach you with your test results.
What to expect at the Testing Center:
· When you arrive at the testing site, remain in your vehicle.
· Upon arrival, call the number you were provided with when you made the appointment.
· A health care provider in personal protective gear will come to your vehicle and provide you with instructions.
· You will be asked to blow your nose using the tissue you brought with you. You will need to dispose of the tissue on your own.
· A soft swab will be inserted deep into your nose to get the necessary sample. This may be slightly uncomfortable, but the test is quick and should take less than a minute.
·Test results are not immediate; it may take a few days. After the test, you will be given information/instructions to take with you while you await the results.
· You will receive test results via the telephone number you gave at the time of pre-screening.
Directional signage has been installed at the four locations to help individuals navigate to and through each testing center site.
Anyone experiencing a medical emergency should dial 9-1-1 immediately.
St. Lawrence Health System Testing Center information, and links to other COVID-19 initiatives, may be found at https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/covid-19/testing-centers.