Kilkenny Covid test centre closed to ‘walk-ins’ after surge in numbers
The Covid test centre in Kilkenny has been temorarily closed to ‘walk-ins’ following a surge in the number of people presenting for tests.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed the numbers presenting for texts at the Hebron Industrial Estate and other test centres across the south east has jumped by a third in recent days, which has resulted in queues.
A HSE spokesperson confirmed: “The HSE is very grateful to its outstanding testing staff across counties Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford. Their hard work over the last year and a half of pandemic has ensured that, to date, some 349,720 tests for Covid-19 have been administered at pop up facilities and the five permanent centres for doing so in the South East.
“The HSE also appreciates the excellent co-operation from the public, when presenting at the ongoing testing centres located in Carlow, Clonmel, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford.
“In recent days, numbers coming to these five centres operated by HSE/South East Community Healthcare have increased by a third or so. The HSE apologies for any inconvenience caused to those who have had to wait at the centres.”
Online self-referrals (and those from GPs) remain open for the Kilkenny test centre in Hebron, Carlow (St. Dympna’s Hospital), Clonmel (Moyle Rovers GAA Centre), Waterford (Kilcohan) and Wexford (Whitemills Industrial Park) centres on all seven days of the week.
The HSE said it has temporarily suspended “walk-in” presentations at all five of its test centres in the south east. Instead, it has urged people to book their tests online.
The spokesperson added: “The HSE capacity has been extended by the HSE nationwide to meet a demand of 20,000 tests per day. The HSE expects that anyone who requires or wishes to get tested will get a same-day test (depending on what time they book).”
If you want make an appointment at your local test centres, log on to: https://covid19test.healthservice.ie/hse-self-referral/
