BANFF – The Bow Valley has successfully secured a COVID-testing site in Banff in the face of rapidly rising cases.
Town of Banff officials say Alberta Health Services (AHS) hopes to have the testing site up and running by Dec. 4, with a goal of testing two to three days a week and up to 100 tests per day.
“In regards to testing, AHS has responded to our calls for help,” said Silvio Adamo, the Town of Banff’s director of emergency management, during a council meeting on Wednesday (Nov. 25).
“We are still dealing with logistical issues to make that a reality, but I am feeling very confident day-by-day that that is going to happen on Dec. 4.”
Mayor Karen Sorensen said this is excellent news for Banff.
“I know we got down this road previously and then it was pulled away,” she said. “So that would be tremendous.”
As of Tuesday (Nov. 24), there were 152 active cases in Banff and Lake Louise – the same as the day before with three more positive cases and three recovered cases. There are 52 cases in neighbouring Canmore.
AHS and medical officers of health - being referred to locally as swat teams –are working with several local employers in response to recent clusters of COVID-19 cases in workplaces in the Banff area. In partnership with local Banff employers, AHS public health is contacting and testing potential close contacts of the confirmed cases.
“We have significantly ramped up testing over the last few days and anticipate our numbers may jump,” said Adamo.
“They anticipate conducting 400 tests this week.”
Once the testing site is up and running in December, Adamo said he believes residents from Canmore will be able to come to Banff.
He said when the Banff testing site opens, it will show up on the AHS website when people go through the self-assessment tool for booking tests.
“I do believe, and I will have to confirm, that Canmore and Lake Louise will be able to access that site,” Adamo said.
Adamo said Alpine Medical Clinic has increased its testing capacity this week, with the help of additional space on the former yoga studio next door.
“They have been conducting 60 to 80 tests a day for the past few days,” he said.
“They did indicate that testing demand is slowing down … I see this is as a positive indicator that we are getting a handle on this situation.”
In addition, Bear Street Family Physicians, which stopped testing last week for anyone other than existing patients, is again offering testing to the broader public.
“I am also pleased and thankful to the Bear Street Physicians that has re-started testing for anyone who meets the criteria, effective today for the next two weeks,” Adamo said.
In addition, Banff appears close to having an isolation centre in town to provide more isolation rooms than those available at the Banff YWCA.
Alison Gerrits, Banff’s director of community services who is part of Banff’s Emergency Coordination Centre, said the Town had earlier been informed of a provincially-approved isolation centre.
“In our minds, we had that in place that we could use if at any time the YWCA reached its capacity,” she said, noting the Y is near or at capacity now.
“We were only recently notified, unbeknownst to us, that the facility had been de-listed or requested to not proceed.”
Since then, the Town has been working day and night to find another place – and a local business has stepped forward to offer space.
“We are just in the process of finalizing the details on that,” Gerrits said, noting a meeting will be held later on Wednesday to finalize the operation details.
“Once that is put into place, individuals can phone and book an isolation room if it’s needed.”
For people in Banff who need to be tested – if you have transportation – use the AHS online tool to schedule rapid testing in Cochrane, available same or next day.
The AHS online assessment and test booking tool is found at https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page16944.asp
For Banff residents without transportation, after using the AHS online assessment tool or calling 8-1-1, schedule COVID testing locally at Alpine Medical Clinic or Bear Street Family Physicians.
Book online at Alpine Medical Clinic: https://patient.medeohealth.com/boo.../alpine-medical-clinic
Book by phone to Bear Street Family Physicians: 403-762-4846 Ext.1
