SEVEN MORE LOCATIONS around the country will have walk-in test centres for Covid-19 available over the next week.

The HSE is opening centres in Middleton and Youghal in Cork; Edenderry in Offaly, Newbridge in Kildare; Ballina in Mayo; and Blanchardstown and Ballymun in Dublin.

The centres are open to anyone 16 or over who does not have Covid-19 symptoms but wants to be tested, lives in the area of the centre, and has not tested positive in the last six months.

More than 50,000 people have been tested in the existing walk-in centres as of this morning.

The new centres are located in:

• Youghal GAA Club, Magners Hill, Youghal
• Midleton GAA Club, Clonmult Memorial Park, Midleton
• Newbridge Town Hall, Main Street, Newbridge
• Scoil Bhride Primary School, Killane, Edenderry
• Stephenites Ground, Lord Edward Street, Carrowcushlaun West, Ballina
• Ballymun Sports and Fitness Centre, Gateway Crescent, Ballymun
• Technological University Dublin, Blanchardstown Campus, Blanchardstown Road North

The Midleton and Edenderry centres opened today until 3 May and 4 May respectively.

The Blanchardstown centre is open from 1 to 7 May, with the Newbridge centre open on the 3rd.

The Youghal centre runs from 3 to 5 May; the Ballymun centre from 4 to 7 May, and the Ballina centre from 5 to 7 May.

Youghal, Midleton, Newbridge and Ballina are opening from 11am to 7pm, while the two Dublin centres are opening 10am to 6pm.

The Edenderry centre is open 10am to 5pm 

Existing walk-in centres in Donegal, Roscommon, Tipperary, Kerry, Cork, Waterford, Westmeath and Offaly are remaining open. 

National Lead for Testing and Tracing Niamh O’Beirne said that the HSE is “seeing significant numbers of people availing of our walk-in Covid-19 testing service and it continues to be an important part of the HSE’s Public Health response to Covid-19″.

“As of this morning, Friday 30 April, more than 50,000 people have come forward for Covid-19 testing in one of our walk-in sites and 1,628 (3.4%) Covid-19 positive cases have been detected,” O’Beirne said.

“Availing of Covid-19 testing, even when you don’t have symptoms helps us stop the further spread of Covid-19 and protects our communities.”

Anyone who wants to be tested at one of the walk-in centres does not need to make an appointment, but must bring photo ID and provide a phone number so they can be contacted with the result.