Radio Regent (Audio): COVID TESTING IN REGENT PARK
On today’s episode we go live with Michele Heath, the Director of Community Health at the Regent Park, who is joined by Darryl Spencer, Senior Manager of Housing Services and Drop-In Services at Fred Victor 40 Oak Street site, who speak with Andrew, a registered nurse from St. Michael’s Hospital, and two Regent Park residents.
According to Michele Heath the Regent Park Community Centre, although the rates are not out of control, it is still high and that’s why it is important to ensure free pop-up testing so that everyone in the community can access.
Regent Park is one of the more populated communities in downtown Toronto and it is important to have easy, free access to the testing to keep down the curve.
The 40 Oak Street site has the capacity for 20 people at a time and can accommodate 50 - 60 people on each day the test is run. 40 Oak Street was chosen for that its strategic location. It has an open and big space, in addition to the in and out exits, making it a great location and facility.
“We wanted to do anything to help in this.” said Darryl Spencer, the Senior Manager of Housing Services and Drop in Services at Fred Victor’s 40 Oak Street site.
“It’s been a challenging time over the last year, hopefully in the future potentially the vaccine out of a location like this would be an ideal scenario for us. ”
The two Regent Park residents who were interviewed while waiting in line to be tested, said that they had been tested before, and that they were both getting tested again to make sure that their families are safe.
The results come up within two days and residents get contacted if their results are positive.
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