Four new walk-in COVID-19 testing centres will open this week, as part of efforts to find more symptom-free cases in the community.
The new centres - which do not require an appointment - will operate from 11am to 7pm from tomorrow, at locations in Dublin, Limerick and Waterford:
- Mulhuddart, Dublin 15: Cumann Naomh Peregrine, Blakestown Road, D15 PW80, opens 7 days
- Limerick City: St Joseph’s Health Campus, 3 Mulgrave Street, Limerick, V94 C8DV, opens for 6 days
- Waterford: WIT College Street Campus, Cork Road, Waterford, X91 YO74, opens for 7 days
- Dublin 10: Ballyfermot Sports Complex, 33-39 Gurteen Road, Redcowfarm, Dublin 10, D10 K598, opens for 7 days
A fifth centre will continue to operate at Coláiste Eoin in Finglas until Sunday evening.
The HSE says hundreds of cases have been identified since walk-in testing centres started operating last month.
Niamh O’Beirne, HSE National Lead for Test and Trace, said: “Targeted community testing using PCR tests is highly effective and has already identified over 600 positive COVID-19 cases who would not have been identified without targeted asymptomatic testing”.
The tests are available free of charge to anyone over the age of 16 years who lives within 5km of the test sites and doesn't have any symptoms of the virus.
Health officials hope to carry out around 300-500 tests per day at each of the new centres.
The walk-in centres have so far been operating in areas on a short-term basis.
Larger scale testing centres continue to operate on an appointment basis for close contacts and people with COVID-19 symptoms.
