HSE to roll-out six more walk-in Covid-19 test centres across Ireland next week

They will offer testing free of charge, with no appointment necessary.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) is set to continue the roll-out of a number of walk-in Covid-19 test centres across Ireland.

The HSE is continuing its test centre programme which will enable people in communities local to the centres to receive a free Covid-19 test without having to make an appointment in advance.

The HSE said it is continually monitoring the need for asymptomatic walk-in testing centres across the country to advise on the most appropriate locations at any given time.

Over the coming days, a number of new centres will open and some of the existing walk-in centres will extend their opening hours.

The service will operate alongside testing for those who are symptomatic or close contacts of a confirmed case of coronavirus.

The new walk-in centres will open in Drumshambo, Co Leitrim on Friday (23 April), and in Tuam, Co Galway on Monday (26 April).

Walk-in testing will also become available at the testing sites in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, Castlerea, Co Roscommon, Nenagh, Co Tipperary and Kilcohan, Co Waterford.

Niamh O Beirne, HSE National Lead Test and Trace, said in a statement that the programme of "targeted testing of asymptomatic people" has meant that those who test positive for Covid-19 can take "necessary actions to protect those around them”.

“Increasing the number of people we test helps us better understand the nature of the transmission of the Covid-19 virus and helps support the strategic approach to identify any variants of concern within our communities," she said.

“As of Thursday evening, 22 April, over 40,000 people have had a Covid-19 test in one of our walk-in centres. The overall positivity rate to date is 3.3% which equates to 1,261 people testing positive for Covid-19 as a result of getting a test in one of the HSE’s walk-in test centres. "