Four New Walk-In Covid Testing Centers Open As 255 Hospital Patients With Covid-19

THE NUMBER OF people hospitalized with Covid-19 across the country has fallen again, after reaching its lowest point this year yesterday.

According to the latest data from the HSE daily operations website, there were 255 people being treated for Covid-19 at the hospital at 8pm last night.

It represents a drop of 272 people who received treatment for the virus in hospital on Wednesday night, and is the lowest number since Christmas Day.

At 6.30pm last night, there were 61 people with Covid-19 in intensive care units, of which 42 were receiving ventilation care.

Health officials confirmed another 761 Covid-19 cases in Ireland and 18 more deaths last night.

Meanwhile, four new walk-in Covid-19 testing centers for asymptomatic people are opening today across the country.

The temporary testing centers will allow people who don’t have Covid-19 symptoms to get a free trial without having to contact their GP first.

The HSE is opening walk-in care centers in areas where the number of positive cases is particularly high.

The centers that open today are:

• Naas Racecourse, Tipper Road, Naas, Kildare (for 5 days)
• Crumlin GAA Clubhouse, Lorcan O ‘Toole Park, Crumlin, Dublin (for 7 days)
• Athlone Regional Sports Center, Brawny Road, Athlone, Westmeath (for 5 days)
• Town Hall / Library Parking, Ballinasloe, Galway (for 3 days)

Yesterday three other centers opened:

• Dublin City Education and Training Board, Coláiste Eoin, Cappagh Road, Finglas, Dublin (for 7 days)
• Quay Street car park, Balbriggan, Dublin (for 7 days)
• Navan O’Mahonys GAA Club, Paddy O’Brien Park, Navan, Meath (for 5 days)

Each center aims to conduct 300-500 Covid-19 tests per day.

The HSE said increasing the number of people being tested helps better understand how and why the virus is spreading faster in certain areas.

“Our pop-up walk-in testing centers are targeting areas where there is the highest risk of disease right now,” said Niamh O’Beirne, national leader for HSE testing and tracking.

“There was very significant uptake at the five temporary centers that opened last week, and we look forward to continuing this at our new walk-in testing centers.”

People over 16 years of age can use the walk-in testing centers if they have no symptoms but want to be tested, live less than 5 km from the center, and have not tested positive for Covid-19 in the last six months.

Those attending the walk-in clinics must bring a photo ID and provide a mobile phone number so the HSE can contact them with the test results.

People who have common symptoms of Covid-19 are asked not to go to walk-in testing centers. These symptoms include a high fever, new cough, shortness of breath, or loss or change in the sense of smell or taste.

The HSE is asking people who have any of these symptoms to isolate themselves (stay in their room) and call a GP right away. Your GP will inform you if a free Covid-19 test is needed.

The seven temporary test centers that opened this week are replacing the five pop-up test centers that launched last week and closed on Wednesday.