New partnership between Assure Covid Travel Clinics and Detroit-Windsor Tunnel provides travelers with access to fast PCR tests
(WINDSOR/DETROIT, February 2, 2022) Cross-border travel continues to be a challenge with complicated restrictions and testing requirements at both ends of the border. A new joint initiative hopes to address some of these difficulties by offering easy access to Health Canada-approved PCR tests on site at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel on the Detroit side.
Until now, Canadian and U.S. travelers have had to scour the U.S. side of the border to find a pharmacy or lab that could provide a PCR test result within 72 hours of a traveler’s trip into Canada. Some travelers have reported paying up to $300 each to ensure a guaranteed test result within the strict timeframe. For most people these challenges have made crossing the border a difficult and expensive endeavor and has discouraged them from making the trip.
Dr. Phillip Olla, CEO of Assure Covid Travel Clinics, believes that the Detroit side of the tunnel is an ideal location because it also assists travelers, who may be in need of emergency tests, that can be used to get them home within an hour.
“We’ve had dozens of calls from stranded travelers who were not able to get their results within the 72-hour time limit. Having access to this pick-up location at the tunnel will help them get home within about an hour from taking the test,” says Olla.
Starting this week, cross-border travelers will be able to order their test kits online and stop and pick up the test at an operations office, in front of the shop on the Detroit end of the tunnel and take the test with them to their destination to perform when needed. According to Dr. Olla, these PCR tests are literally a “lab in your bag” type test and can be taken in your car, hotel or wherever is most convenient.
The test is conducted via a telehealth visit with one of Assure Covid Travel Clinic’s specialists, who will supervise the sample collection and the processing of the test at the traveler’s location with no lab required. The lab is built into the test kit itself, saving hours of time involved in the transportation and processing of traditional tests.
Dr. Olla says many of his business clients have been using these new convenient PCR test kits for some time now, but these tests have not been readily accessible on the Detroit side of the border. This availability at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel has made access to these tests much more convenient for all travelers.
Test kits must be booked online, and Dr. Olla advises outbound travelers to book their PCR kits several days in advance of their trip. Once ordered, in addition to the Detroit Windsor Tunnel location, kits may also be picked up in Windsor at the Assure Covid Travel Clinic office, located at 880 N. Service Road Suite 105. Outbound travelers can take the kits with them to their travel destinations and perform the test just prior to their departure and return to Canada with peace of mind – something many travelers consider priceless. To order these travel PCR tests kits go to www.assure.clinic.
For more information, contact Dr. Phillip Olla, CEO of Assure Covid Travel Clinics, at 226-400-0099.