SUDBURY -- It's becoming more of a common sight outside the Health Sciences North Research Institute, car after car pulling into the drive-thru, people being tested for the novel coronavirus otherwise known as COVID-19.

The facility is just one of the few sites where those living in Greater Sudbury can now be tested.

The site is being run by Dr. Debbie Smith, a family physician at Health Sciences North, who had just retired but felt compelled to come back.

"I worked for about 29 years and half of that time was spent in the hospital in Sudbury here, in what is now Health Sciences North, I really enjoyed my time working ... when the pandemic hit, I really felt a strong desire on both a personal and professional level to contribute back again, " said Smith.

Smith volunteered her services to HSN's chief of staff and has since been named the 'Medical Lead' for the hospital's COVID Assessment Centre.

Sudbury COVID-19 Assessment Centre
The site is by appointment only and those people who call ahead are either being directed to the drive-thru or they're being seen in person.April 17/2020 (Ian Campbell/CTV News Northern Ontario)

An appointment can take anywhere from 10-30 minutes and staff are taking all necessary precaution to make sure no patient, at any time, has contact with another while they're on site.

"If you get to go through the drive-thru, typically you're younger, and healthier and you don't have any other medical conditions that would put you at risk of having severe illness and you're set an appointment, it's very important that these appointments are set so we're able to space people."

"We just confirm who you are, take the swab and give you some information and tell you to self-isolate and send you on your way," Smith explained.

It's a similar procedure for those who have to be tested inside. They're kept at a physical distance at all times, placed in a negative pressure room and swabbed.

Their temperature is taken, they're given some information and told to go straight home.

"We've expanded the criteria for testing because we have a better supply and better number of labs that can process the tests for us so it's really important for us to test anyone who has any symptoms of COVID-19 so we get a better picture of what the disease burden is in our community," said Smith.

"I'm really confident that this is a safe place for people to come and I hope that they realize that, it's a very safe place for our staff, for all of us to be working."

Additional sites have been helping the province decrease the lag its seen in testing for the virus.

Sudbury COVID-19 Assessment Centre
"We just confirm who you are, take the swab and give you some information and tell you to self-isolate and send you on your way," Smith explained. April 17/2020 (Ian Campbell/CTV News Northern Ontario)

Laboratory work is also now being done in Sudbury and no longer has to be sent to Toronto.

Like many front-line workers, this has had a personal toll on Smith who wants to make sure her family stays healthy.

"I would say the biggest change and the most difficult thing for me on a personal level is the physical distancing that we've had to practice outside of our households. It's just my husband and myself in my household, we have two adult children and the last time that I hugged them was at Christmas time and I really look forward to the day I can do that again safely," said Smith.

Smith is one of a few retired personnel that have returned to work to help Sudbury get the upper hand on the fight against this virus.

In the meantime, she's encouraging everyone to continue their physical distancing and to get tested, if they qualify and have symptoms.

"It's absolutely important for everyone to follow this."