T -C e COVID-19 & I f e a L e I e A e e C c A120 - 2099 Lougheed Hwy Port Coquitlam, BC V3B 1A8 CANADA
September 24, 2020
Dear Residents of Anmore, Belcarra, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody,
RE: C e f he T -C e COVID-19 & ILI A e e C c
It is with great sadness and frustration that we are writing to advise you that the Tri-Cities COVID-19 and Influenza Like Illness Assessment Clinic in Port Coquitlam will be closing Friday October 2nd.
As a group of independent family physicians that all work in our own family practices, we have had the honour and privilege to serve you and the community since June 15th, 2020. We took time away from our usual routines, and started the Tri-Cities COVID-19 Clinic due to the lack of publicly available COVID-19 testing in our area. As you may be aware, the previous testing site in New Westminster closed on June 14th 2020. At that time, we understood that a new high capacity public COVID-19 testing site would open in several weeks. We did not feel comfortable with this gap of service to our community, and as a result, we made significant sacrifices to open the Tri-Cities COVID-19 Clinic in Port Coquitlam.
Since opening, our staff has worked tirelessly to offer safe and efficient COVID-19 testing in anticipation of the opening of a high capacity testing site within our community. Unfortunately, after four months, this has still not happened. With our limited staff and resources, we are no longer able to continue running our testing site because our doctors are burnt out and our staff are overworked -- we simply cannot continue for our own health.
We sincerely appreciate everyone's support with our efforts during the past few months. The 7PM cheers and hearts and signs in your windows kept us going through these tough times. We would specifically like to thank the following people as all the work we have done for our community would not have happened without you:
Our neighbours in the Shaughnessy Square for understanding and being patient with our lines and redirecting our lost patients. LifeLabs for working around the clock to ensure our patients' tests are delivered and processed quickly. The Fraser Northwest Division of Family Practice for advocating and supporting our operations from the start. The emergency departments at Eagle Ridge Hospital and Royal Columbian Hospital for always accepting our transfers. Fraser Health for supplying us with initial equipment and regular supplies of gowns, gloves and masks.
With our closing, the closest testing sites will be the Burnaby drive-through near Central Park, Maple Ridge Urgent and Primary Care Clinic and the South Surrey drive-through. The lack of a testing site in the New Westminster and Tri-Cities area leaves a significant population without a convenient and accessible COVID-19 testing site. If you believe that our community deserves a sustainable, publicly run testing site like every other city in the Lower Mainland, please let your voices be heard by contacting our local and provincial leaders, including:
V c a Lee R c G ac President and CEO of Fraser Health Authority MLA Anmore, Belcarra, Coquitlam, Port Moody [email protected] 604-936-8709 [email protected]
B e He J d Da c Provincial Health Officer of British Columbia MLA New Westminster 250-952-1330 604-775-2101 [email protected] [email protected]
Med ca Off ce f Hea h f F a e Hea h 604-930-5404
J h McE a M e Fa h Mayor of Anmore MLA Port Coquitlam 604-461-3384 604-927-2088 [email protected] [email protected]
R cha d S e a B ad We Mayor of Coquitlam Mayor of Port Coquitlam Office: 604-927-3001 604-927-5410 Cellular: 604-314-4345 [email protected] [email protected]
J a ha C R b Vag a Mayor of New Westminster Mayor of Port Moody 604-527-4522 604-469-4515 [email protected] [email protected]
If you have symptoms and require COVID-19 testing please contact 811 to find out your nearest location for testing.
Thank you and stay safe,
Jordan Sugie Carllin Man Family Physician & Medical Director Family Physician Tri-Cities COVID-19 & ILI Assessment Clinic Tri-Cities COVID-19 & ILI Assessment Clinic [email protected] [email protected]