A new COVID-19 Assessment Clinic will open at the Jewish General Hospital on Wednesday. From what I have been told, trailers will be set in one  of the parking lots so nobody needs to enter the hospital. Consequently, the Quartier Cavendish Clinic will close at the end of the day on Thursday. The latter was not that well utilized. You had to make an appointment and  be tested in your car. However,  a Designated COVID-19 Assessment Clinic has been launched at Quartier Cavendish, with another to follow at the Jewish General. Their mandate will be to offer medical assessments, by appointment only, to those who need a medical consultation and are experiencing flu-like or gastro-like symptoms.

As CIUSSS West Central Montreal  officials maintain, the JGH location has the advantage of being centrally located and easily accessible for most of the people in the catchment area. It also offers distinct advantages in terms of continuity of care, especially for patients who need to be hospitalized.

The Cavendish location was deemed necessary earlier on in the pandemic, particularly with the return of the snowbirds. Officials believe that it is less necessary now and wish to point out that in recent days very few people have taken advantage of the service. In any event, anyone who could have used the Cavendish service will be invited to go to the assessment clinic, which will offer a more comprehensive medical evaluation and treatment.

The Mayor and members of council took part in a zoom conference call last week with CIUSSS West Central Montreal President and CEO  Dr. Lawrence Rosenberg, who advised  us  this change was coming.

Right now our biggest  concern must be our seniors at locales such as  the King David Residence and Maimonides Hospital, where there are seven and three confirmed cases respectively of COVID-19 respectively. We can only hope  and pray this does not spread  further in these institutions. It underlines the need  for staff to be tested. Thus far other senior homes in our neighbourhood appear  to be virus free.