New COVID-19 testing centre given opening date

The test centre will operate seven days a week. Opening days and times are subject to national guidance and community demand.

The new Covid test centre being established at Scouting Ireland’s Castlesaunderson International Scout Centre near Belturbet is to open from Tuesday, April 27.

This will replace the existing testing centre at Ballinagh

This relocated facility will remain a designated site for Covid testing in Cavan for the remainder of the duration of the pandemic.

The test centre will operate seven days a week. Opening days and times are subject to national guidance and community demand.

The HSE has worked in partnership with Coillte, Cavan County Council and Scouting Ireland to establish this new testing Centre. Access to the grounds surrounding the centre will be allowable for the public for the duration of the agreement.

Currently, people can only attend for testing in Castlesaunderson for testing if they have been referred and have received a text confirming their appointment. Those being tested will be required to follow public health measures, including social distancing, not travelling by public transport, practising good personal hygiene and wearing a face-covering throughout the test appointment (including travelling to and from the testing centre).

Anyone testing positive for the virus will be contacted by HSE contact tracers to help them track their contacts. Close contacts will receive a notification by SMS that they must restrict their movements for 14 days and if they develop symptoms, they should call their GP or GP Out of Hours service and arrange a test.

The HSE strongly encourages all members of the public identified as requiring a COVID-19 test to attend for their appointment.

A HSE video sets out the patient journey from swabbing through to contact tracing https://youtu.be/ivZKGQQmL1c