COVID-19 Testing FAQs and Resources

The Health Services COVID-19 Testing Assessment Centre is open to University of Waterloo students, employees and postdocs and family members living in the same household. 

• Family members must be living at the same household/residential address
• Information will be verified upon arrival. Please bring valid ID.

Health Services COVID-19 Testing Assessment Centre is open and testing by appointment only. Please fill out the COVID-19 Assessment Registration Form to register for an appointment.

Please only book an book an appointment for COVID-19 testing if you:

• Are showing COVID-19 symptoms;
• Have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus, as informed by their public health unit or exposure notification through the COVID-19 app;
• Are a resident or worker in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by their local public health unit; or 
• Are eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative directed by the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Long-Term Care. Ontario Health will continue to notify Assessment Centres of any targeted testing. 

OHIP Students, Employees and Postdocs

Positive result:

• You (the patient) will receive a call from a clinician where you had the test done. You will also receive a call from Public Health.

Negative result:

• Due to the volume of results, patients are not contacted by Public Health or the Assessment Centre with a negative result.
• Results are available through OLIS or ClinicalConnect.
• You (the patient) will be provided with a handout with a website where you can look up your results: https://covid19results.ehealthontario.ca

Non-OHIP Students, Employees and Postdocs

• You (the patient) will only be contacted if test results come back positive. If you test positive, the Testing and Assessment Center will be notified of this result and then they will notify you. At the same time, Public Health is also notified and you should expect them to contact you as well. Therefore, it is imperative that your contact information is accurate when you register for your appointment.

• You may not receive a call if your test is negative, from an on or off campus testing centre. If you have not received a call, you can contact the Centre where you were tested.

Result timing

Depending on the number of tests being processed it can take between 4-14 days to receive test results. Please do not call for test results. See how to access test results above.

How do I book an appointment to get tested for COVID-19?

1. Fill out the COVID-19 Assessment Registration Form. 
2. You will receive a call back with your appointment date and time. 

1. Arrive at the North-East entrance doors (facing the pond) at the time of your appointment and wait outside the Health Services building. Note: Please do not call when you arrive.
2. A nurse will come outside and get you at the time of your appointment.
3. Upon entry into the building, you will be asked to sanitize your hands and answer the COVID-19 screening questions. You will then be directed to a medical room for your COVID-19 test.

No. The Ontario Ministry of Health recently announced new criteria for getting tested, and we currently cannot test anyone who is asymptomatic (does not have symptoms). To prioritize those who are at the greatest risk, the Ministry of Health is asking Ontarians to go to Assessment Centres only if they: 

• Are showing COVID-19 symptoms; 
• Have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus, as informed by their public health unit or exposure notification through the COVID-19 app;
• Are a resident or worker in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by their local public health unit; or
• Are eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative directed by the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Long-Term Care. Ontario Health will continue to notify Assessment Centres of any targeted testing.  

No. You only need to get tested if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus. Before coming to campus, you should take the self assessment found in the WATSafe app or at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/.  

No. For safety purposes, no visitors are allowed.

No. Please fill out the COVID-19 Assessment Registration Form to register for an appointment. Once registered online you will be contacted with an appointment date and time. We do not book appointments over the phone or via email. No walk-ins available.  

A Testing and Assessment Centre is a medical centre that is primarily focused on testing for the COVID-19 virus. The test itself is a relatively quick process but the Clinician doing the testing will need to gather information from clients to ensure that they meet requirements for documenting necessary information. If clients need to be assessed these appointments will take more time. Clients may need to have their vital signs checked as well as have a more detailed history obtained and a physical assessment completed. Swabs collected will be sent to a designated lab that will analyze the specimen.

You should call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department if you are currently experiencing:

• severe difficulty breathing (struggling for each breath, can only speak in single words)
• severe chest pain (constant tightness or crushing sensation)
• feeling confused or unsure of where you are
• losing consciousness  

Yes! To book an appointment please call ahead. All appointments will be addressed by phone or video. If deemed necessary, an in-person appointment will be booked.

To book an appointment with:

• Counselling Services please call, 519-888-4567 ext. 32655
• Health Services please call, 519-888-4096