Busy Christmas at Mayo Covid testing centre due to rise in referrals

In line with other Covid testing centres throughout Ireland, the Mayo facility at McHale Park in Castlebar is experiencing one of its busiest periods since opening due to the rise in referrals caused by the Omicron variant.

PCR testing capacity nationally is now at 245,000 per week from the original weekly 100,000 capacity.

The HSE is are currently working to try to increase PCR by an additional 5,000 appointments per day.

This would bring our weekly PCR test capacity to 285,000 tests.

Community referrals during the week from December 14 to 20 increased by 16% in comparison to the same time-period last week while community positivity is now at 21.2%.

A HSE spokesperson said: "We have offered 210,621 PCR test appointments over the last 7 days.

"December 22 was our busiest day to date in community testing with 31,992 PCR test appointments offered in our testing sites.

"There are now 41 testing centres in operation nationally - 35 community swabbing centres and an additional 6 community swabbing centres operated by a private operator on behalf of the HSE.

"We continue to establish pop-test centres to provide additional capacity where required.

"Over the last week 32,707 calls were completed to inform people of their detected Covid-19 test result.

"We are continuing see increasing numbers of people who are positive for Covid-19 use the List Your Contacts portal.

"This enables them provide details of their close contacts online which enables the HSE contact them quickly to advise them that they are a close contact and give them the necessary public health advice

"In the last week (December 14 to 20) contact tracing was completed for approximately 35,212 individuals that had a confirmed Covid-19 case.

"We have implemented new public health guidance for asymptomatic close contacts.

"Now all asymptomatic close contacts are provided with antigen test kits to do at home."