Simpson's Pharmacy in Virgil can now conduct asymptomatic COVID-19 testing, but “very specific requirements” must be met to qualify, owner Sean Simpson says.

Testing will be done by appointment only, which can be booked through the pharmacy’s website at simpsonspharmacy.medmeapp.com/schedule.

“We're very pleased to be able to provide the service, particularly as a service to local residents that may require tests for various reasons,” he said. “Like visiting loved ones in long-term care homes, as well as those for international travel, and our local migrant worker population. So there's a few groups in particular that we know will benefit.”

To qualify, residents must not exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms and must not have come into contact with anyone suspected of infection.

They must also meet one of the following criteria: be a resident or worker in a long-term care home, visitor to a long-term care home, resident or worker in a homeless shelter, an international student who has passed their 14-day quarantine period, farm worker, resident or worker in other congregate settings or self-identify as Indigenous.

“We're not able to test anybody that's been recommended to get tested by public health due to exposure, as part of an outbreak, or even if somebody has been alerted by the app that they've been exposed,” Simpson said.

Anyone exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms must be tested at an assesment centre. The closest centres are located at the Niagara Health Greater Niagara General site at 5673 North St. in Niagara Falls, and Niagara Health St. Catharines site at 1200 Fourth Ave. in St. Catharines.