Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and clinic partner to provide PCR tests at border

Lanes entering the United States at the Detroit Windsor Tunnel are shown in this Thursday, July 12, 2012 photo. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

A new joint initiative hopes to address cross-border testing requirement issues by offering access to Health Canada-approved PCR tests on site at the U.S. side of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

Until now, Canadian and U.S. travelers have had to find a pharmacy or lab in the U.S. that could provide a PCR test result within 72 hours of a traveler’s trip into Canada.

Assure Covid Travel Clinics says their arrangement with the Detroit Windsor Tunnel aims to help cross-border leisure and business travelers acquire PCR tests with a one-hour turnaround for results at half the cost of many specialty travel clinics.

Dr. Phillip Olla, CEO of Assure Covid Travel Clinics, believes that the Detroit side of the tunnel is an ideal location because it also assists travelers, who may be in need of emergency tests, that can be used to get them home within an hour.

“We’ve had dozens of calls from stranded travelers who were not able to get their results within the 72-hour time limit. Having access to this pick-up location at the tunnel will help them get home within about an hour from taking the test,” says Olla.

Starting this week, cross-border travelers will be able to order their test kits online and stop and pick up the test at an operations office, in front of the shop on the Detroit end of the tunnel and take the test with them to their destination to perform when needed.

According to Dr. Olla, these PCR tests are literally a “lab in your bag” type test and can be taken in your car, hotel or wherever is most convenient.

The test is conducted via a telehealth visit with one of Assure Covid Travel Clinic’s specialists, who will supervise the sample collection and the processing of the test at the traveler’s location with no lab required. The lab is built into the test kit itself.

Olla says many of his business clients have been using these new convenient PCR test kits for some time now, but these tests have not been readily accessible on the Detroit side of the border.

President of Contract Glaziers Group Michal Chlumecky says he has been using Assure Covid Clinic tests for months.

“My need to travel out of country had been significantly challenged with the amount of effort, planning, time, and inconvenience associated with obtaining a PCR test for re-entry into Canada, until now. Assure Covid Travel Clinic has delivered a perfect solution for my needs with their portable PCR test kit I can take with me wherever I go.”

Chlumecky says he has scheduled tests from his hotel room and received a certified report within 45 minutes.

Test kits must be booked online, and Olla advises outbound travelers to book their PCR kits several days in advance of their trip.

Once ordered, in addition to the Detroit Windsor Tunnel location, kits may also be picked up in Windsor at the Assure Covid Travel Clinic office, located at 880 N. Service Road Suite 105.

Outbound travelers can take the kits with them to their travel destinations and perform the test just prior to their departure and return to Canada.