WINNIPEG -- Manitoba Public Insurance announced on Tuesday that it will be closing one its Winnipeg service centres, located at 1284 Main St., so it can be turned into a mobile, drive-thru COVID-19 testing facility.
This is the third MPI service centre being used as a drive-thru testing site. The other two are the Bison Drive and Dauphin Service Centres. An official opening date for the latest location has yet to be announced.
Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton said everyone is doing their part to help control the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Cooperation such as this will help lower the COVID-19 curve. While these are challenging times, we are all in this together and will overcome this challenge stronger than ever before,” he said in a news release.
MPI said Manitobans must contact Health Links for screening in order to see if they should be tested for COVID-19 and to get a referral, noting no one can be tested at the facility without a one.
Those being tested at the site will have to stay in their cars in order to follow physical distancing guidelines.
“I must commend both our staff and customers for making these adjustments to their lives,” said MPI’s president and CEO Ben Graham.
“MPI will do everything possible to assist in this battle against COVID-19. We also can’t ignore our customers who are also facing tremendously challenging times.”
Those who work at the service centre will be relocated to other locations or will be allowed to work from home.
