COVID-19 FAQs

Ontario has opened a number of assessment centres where you can be tested for COVID-19. In most cases, health officials ask that you go online to conduct a self-assessment before heading into an assessment centre. Most assessment centres request that only those individuals presenting with COVID-19 symptoms attend.

Below is a list of suggested assessment centres located near our campuses. For a complete list of Greater Toronto Area assessment centres, visit this webpage and scroll down the page to the list for Toronto locations, which includes a weekly scheduled for the Scarborough mobile assessment centre.

Ashtonbee, Progress Campus

North York General Hospital (Leslie St. just north of the 401): 11 am to 11 pm, seven days a week. An assessment centre located in the emergency department is open from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm seven days a week. The hospital is encouraging people to do a pre-assessment by calling Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000) or by using the Toronto COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool. There are no further requirements at this time. For more information call the main line at 416-756-6000.

Scarborough Hospital, 3030 Birchmount Road: 9 am to 6 pm seven days a week. The assessment centre is located in front of the hospital. At this time, patients will not be tested unless they are demonstrating serious symptoms. The hospital is encouraging people to do self-assessment first online by visiting www.shn.ca/covid-19. For more information call the main line at 416-495-2400.

Morningside, Progress campus

Scarborough Health Network, Centenary Hospital, 2867 Ellesmere Rd.: 10 am to 7 pm seven days a week. The assessment centre is located outside of the hospital building, on the East side heading toward the Emergency department, and is accessible from Neilson Rd. Please follow the directions on-site. Visit the centre only if you have symptoms of a respiratory tract infection or fever, including cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, runny nose, or joint aches, AND if you have been instructed by Public Health to visit the centre, or if you work in a vulnerable or at risk setting. These settings include, school or childcare centres, retirement homes, homeless shelters, prisons, or any healthcare setting such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, complex continuing care, rehabilitation centres, and dialysis centres, or other settings with vulnerable populations.

Story Arts Centre

Michael Garron Hospital (East Toronto) 825 Coxwell Avenue: By appointment only, 8 am to 8 pm seven days a week. The assessment centre is located in the hospital’s outpatient clinic located in D-wing, 1st floor, which is accessed from Mortimer Avenue. No walk-ins. The COVID-19 Assessment Centre provides screening, assessment and testing for individuals in East Toronto who are experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19. Community members with potential COVID-19 symptoms who feel they need to be assessed for COVID-19 should phone the Assessment Centre at 416-469-6858. On the call, patients will be screened for travel and contact history and symptoms, and guided to self-monitor, self-isolate at home, come to the Assessment Centre, or go to the Emergency Department. Patients who need to go to the Assessment Centre will be offered a booked appointment. The hospital’s 24-hour emergency department also has a dedicated zone for assessment.

Downsview Campus

Humber River Regional Hospital, 2111 Finch Avenue West: 10 am to 6 pm, seven days a week. Use the west entrance for assessments. People are asked to do a self-assessment before showing up at the centre. For more information call the centre at 416-747-6740. The hospital is advising patients to call Telehealth Ontario first to be screened at 1-866-797-0000 or use the self-assessment tool prior to going to the assessment centre.

North York General Hospital (Branson Site), 555 Finch Avenue, North Entrance: 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week. Use the North Entrance. This location is available for Walk-In appointments. Last registration at 7:45 pm.

Canadians are being asked to limit travel outside the country to essential purposes until all levels of government lift their Declarations of Emergency related to COVID-19. Those who travel are required to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return. Additionally, air travellers over the age of five years are required to provide proof of a recent negative test for COVID-19. Without this test, passengers will not be allowed to board their flight to Canada.

These stipulations are in line with many other countries that seek to discourage unnecessary travel and slow the spread of the coronavirus. In addition to bringing new strains of the virus to Canada, travellers are putting themselves at unnecessary risk. Authorities often impose control measures, including movement restrictions, with little or no warning – which can inconvenience travellers. In some nations, travellers will have limited access to health care should they become ill, with many hospitals beyond capacity.

Centennial College continues to monitor the rapidly evolving situation and closely follow recommendations from all three levels of government and the World Health Organization to ensure we provide our community with the most current information.

If you recently moved to Canada or returned from travel outside Canada and develop respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing, avoid contact with others and call your health care professional prior to visiting. If you don’t have a health care provider, contact an Ontario Community Health Centre.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise, it is important that you follow public health and legislative directives to reduce your chances of becoming infected. This means wearing a face mask or covering, and practicing stringent hand hygiene and physical distancing (2 metres/6 feet apart) when with others outside your immediate household.

Postsecondary education institutions are required to deliver instruction virtually, with some exceptions for in-person teaching and examinations. Currently, we are limited to 10 students in each instructional space at any given time, with limited exemptions for prescribed programs (i.e., nursing, paramedic, and personal support worker / supportive care worker / home care worker or similar occupation). If your program includes on-campus instruction, please follow our stringent guidelines and rules.

Remember: youth are not immune to the coronavirus; younger patients are showing up in hospital. And while they may recover more quickly or not show symptoms, youth can infect elder family and community members and others who are at risk of greater health consequences.

Experiencing flu-like symptoms? Do not come to the College. Self-isolate and contact your doctor, health care provider or Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000. You can also conduct a COVID-19 self-assessment at this website.

As the Ontario government moves through its phases of its Declaration of Emergency, they ask the public to continue following best practices introduced to slow the spread of COVID-19, including: 

• Physical distancing – keep 6 feet/2 metres away from others not living in the same household as you
• Limit in-person social contact to those living in the same household as you
• Wear a mask or scarf that covers your nose and mouth when inside public spaces, i.e., shopping malls, grocery stores 
• Cover your sneeze or cough with a tissue, then place the tissue in the garbage and wash your hands, or cough/sneeze into your bent elbow
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer where soap and water are not readily available
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth without first washing your hands
• Do not shake or hold hands

When you return home from an outing, wash your hands using soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Do not share personal items such as toothbrushes, utensils, drinks or towels.

It’s not too late to get your flu shot. While two COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for use in Canada, most Canadians aren’t expected to receive the shot until late this summer or the fall. The flu shot currently being offered in doctors’ offices, public health units and pharmacies contains a number of antigens that stimulate an immune response to the most commonly expected viruses for the current flu season. If you have symptoms of influenza and were vaccinated this year, the doctor can quickly rule out viruses included in the current flu shot.

If you have a provincial health card, you can get your free flu shot from a doctor or nurse practitioner, at some local public health units, or at participating pharmacies.

International students can get a free flu shot from many pharmacies.

A record number of people are getting the flu shot this year, so call ahead to confirm the vaccine is in stock.

Avoid reading fake news. The College will continually update its website and provide the College community with the most reliable and current information from official providers including city, provincial and federal health agencies and the World Health Organization. If you want to read more on your own, follow credible online resources only. We suggest:

• Ontario Ministry of Health (updated daily)
• Toronto Public Health
• Public Health Agency of Canada