Seven walk-in Covid-19 testing centres to open around country

Facilities aimed at asymptomatic people have detected more than 1,600 cases

A walk-in Covid-19 test centre in Balbriggan. File photograph: Alan Betson
A walk-in Covid-19 test centre in Balbriggan. File photograph: Alan Betson

Seven new walk-in Covid-19 testing centres will open across the country in the coming days.

Two facilities will open in Dublin, with a centre at the Technological University Dublin campus in Blanchardstown operating from 10am on Saturday. The second will open at Ballymun Sports and Fitness Centre on Tuesday.

Two of the centres, which are aimed at people who do not have Covid-19 symptoms but want to be tested, will open in Co Cork. A facility at Midleton GAA Club opened on Friday and will be in use until Sunday. A second at Youghal GAA Club will operate from Monday until Wednesday, from 11am to 7pm.

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A facility at Newbridge Town Hall, Co Kildare, opens on Monday and another at Stephenites Ground in Ballina, Co Mayo, will be set up on Wednesday.

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People who are over 16 years of age can attend the centres without a referral from a general practitioner.

They are open to people who live within 5km of the test centre who have not tested postivie for Covid-19 in the last six months.

People who wish to be tested need to bring photo ID and provide a mobile phone number to get their result.

Niamh O’Beirne, national lead for testing and tracing with the Health Service Executive, said as of Friday morning more than 50,000 people had come forward for tests at the sites and 1,628 Covid-19-positive cases had been detected.

A full list of the walk-in facilities currently in operation is available here.