Cough, Cold and COVID Assessment Centre
Worsening symptoms due to Cough, Cold, COVID-19? Not sure? Questions?
Open until at least March 30, 2023, the NHH Cough, Cold and COVID Assessment Centre offers a fast and effective assessment and treatment option for anyone experiencing worsening cough, cold, earaches, sore throats, congestion and fever—symptoms typically associated with respiratory illnesses like RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), influenza, and COVID-19. All ages are welcome.
Available by appointment only (no walk-ins), the Assessment Centre offers timely help to local families by offering:
- phone-based consultation (often avoiding the need for in-person visits) for those with questions or concerns regarding moderate/worsening cough, cold or COVID-19 symptoms;
- booked appointments with a clinician, often SAME DAY;
- testing, as eligible, including COVID-19 PCR testing, with quick turnaround on results; and
- prescriptions for treatment as applicable.
Where is it?
Northumberland Hills Hospital, 1000 DePalma Drive, Cobourg. The Cough, Cold and COVID Clinical Assessment Centre is currently operating from the portable trailer outside the NHH Emergency Department.
How do I access?
Please CALL AHEAD to 1-905-377-7783 or toll free 1-833-678-2435 for a phone-based assessment prior to arriving on site. Walk-in patients are not permitted due to space contraints.
In all urgent situations, call 911 or go directly to the nearest Emergency Department.
Frequently Asked Questions
Call 1-905-377-7783 or 1-833-678-2435 to speak to a member of the Cough, Cold and COVID Assessment Centre team. You will be directed as appropriate and, if deemed appropriate, scheduled with an appointment to come to the Centre for an Assessment or test. Note that assessment does not necessarily mean testing will be required. Testing will be provided based on eligibility and clinical assessment.
Health care providers (such as area family physicians, nurse practitioners or Telehealth nurses) are currently being provided with information on our service and are encouraged to refer individuals for assessment, reducing burden on local primary care and focusing specialized skills in one Centre.
No, walk-ins are no longer accepted. Patients or their care providers must call the Centre first to speak with a navigator to confirm that a visit to the Centre is required. The team will schedule appointments in such a way that physical distance within the Centre can be maintained at all times. In all urgent situations, the same rule applies: call 911 or go directly to the nearest Emergency Department.
Ontario continues to update its COVID-19 testing guidelines, to ensure publicly funded testing and case and contact management resources are focused on the highest-risk settings to protect the most vulnerable and to help keep critical services running. The NHH Cough, Cold and COVID Assessment Centre will continue to administer testing based on the province’s testing guidelines. We realize that many have questions. Call the Centre at 1-905-377-7783 or 1-833-678-2435 (toll free). We are here to help or we will do our best to get you the help you need.
For a complete listing of all symptoms associated with COVID-19, including the latest updates, please refer to the Ministry of Health COVID website here.
Your risk of serious illness is determined based on a combination of your health, age, and vaccination status, based on an assessment from a health care provider. You might be at higher risk if you are:
- Immunocompromised (have an immune system that is weakened by a health condition or medications);
- 70 years of age or older:
- 60 years of age and older with less than three vaccine doses;
- 18 years of age or older with less than three vaccine doses and at least one risk condition. Risk conditions include: diabetes, obesity, heart disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure, chronic lung disease (including cystic fibrosis), moderate or severe kidney disease, intellectual or developmental disability, cerebral palsy, sickle cell disease, moderate or sever liver disease, pregnancy.
If you are not sure about your risk, or if you have concerns or questions about influenza-like illness, call the Cough, Cold and COVID Assessment Centre and one of our navigators will help you assess your current symptoms and determine next steps.
Yes, NHH’s Cough, Cold and COVID Assessment Centre is for anyone with worsening cough, cold, earaches, sore throats, congestion and fever, particularly those without an area doctor or who have been unable to get an appointment. Please call the Assessment Centre line and speak to a member of our team for advice. If required, a primary care provider on our team can provide an assessment.
The Cough, Cold and COVID Assessment Centre is not intended for patients with very severe COVID-19 symptoms. These individuals should continue to call 911 or go directly to the nearest Emergency Department for urgent care.