Ontario has launched a new online portal where members of the public can access their COVID-19 lab test results.

The province says the portal will help ease pressures on public health units and frontline workers who provide the results so that they can better focus on containing the virus.

Users will have to enter their health card number, first and last name, date of birth, genrder and postal code.

Anyone who still has a red and white health card cannot access the portal and must contact their local public health unit.

“With this new portal, patients will be able to access their test results faster from the safety of their home,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health in a news release. “It will help reduce the burden on our public health units and frontline health workers, allowing them to focus their efforts where they are needed most during this challenging time.”

Ontario also issued a new emergency order Friday that will provide public health units the authority and flexibility they need to make staffing decisions that support their ongoing fight against the outbreak of COVID-19, despite any collective agreements.

The province says public health units will be able to expand their capacity to implement critical public health functions, such as case and contact management, through the use of volunteers, including the “thousands of retired nurses and medical students who have signed up through the province’s website.”

“We are at a critical juncture in our fight against COVID-19,” said Elliott. “Our success as a province depends on our ability to quickly and effectively stop the spread of this new virus. These actions offer considerable support to our local health units and give them the authority they need to act and contain COVID-19 in our communities.”

As of Thursday, there were nearly 2,800 cases of COVID-19, including 53 deaths and 831 resolved.