WINDSOR, ONT. -- Windsor Regional Hospital is reducing the hours of its COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Ouellette Campus.

Hospital officials said it reflects lower volumes of individuals seeking tests for the virus as well as frees up more resources for vaccination clinic needs.

“WRH has periodically adjusted the hours of our COVID-19 Assessment Centres since the start of the pandemic to reflect recent demand trends –expanding them to ensure same-day appointments can be made, as well as lowering them when possible to preserve human resources,” according to a news release from the hospital.

On March 12, WRH announced the closure of its Met Campus COVID-19 Assessment Centre.

On Wednesday, the hospital announced that the Ouellette Campus COVID-19 Assessment Centre hours will shift to 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week, effective Monday, March 29. (Hours have been 8 am to 7 pm seven days a week).

“We anticipate that same-day and next-day appointments will remain available,” said the hospital.

WRH officials said they are ramping up efforts to assist in the community wide rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations.

This further reduction in hours for COVID-19 testing, in line with reduced demand for tests, which can be managed within an 8 a.m. to 3 pm. timeframe, allows WRH to shift human resources to other needs in the organization including staffing for the vaccination clinics at St. Clair College Sportsplex and the University of Windsor’s Windsor Hall downtown.

In order to schedule a COVID-19 assessment appointment, you can go on-line to wrh.on.ca/OnlineBooking on your mobile device or computer (using Safari or Chrome) and select a certain date/time for your appointment or by “first available time.” Have your health card in hand when booking on-line or calling in.

WRH says it can once again readjust assessment centre hours if there is a change in demand for testing.

Recently, the number of individuals seeking tests has been consistently below 400 per day. The Ouellette site has capacity to test as many as 500 individuals per day.

WRH’s busiest day for testing in 2021 was on January 11, when 631 individuals received swab tests for COVID-19. Total daily numbers have not surpassed 500 tests since January 18.