Covid-19 test centre closes
After more than 290,000 swabs and 19 months, a Covid-19 test centre has closed.
The Lee Covid test centre on the northside of Cork city closed on Friday 27 May having opened in September 2020 and since then carried out an estimated 290,675 swabs.
Head of Health and Wellbeing with Cork Community Healthcare Gabrielle O’Keeffe thanked the many staff who have worked in the centre in the past 19 months for their work: “We want to thank the staff who worked at this centre since September 2020 in so many roles. Most people in Cork have attended this centre at some stage in the past 19 months, and they are aware of how staff there have carried out their work in the most professional and caring way.”
There is now 1 test centre for Covid-19 in Cork city which is on the South Douglas Road. The HSE said both the prevalence and impact of Covid-19 has significantly reduced throughout 2022. The HSE is now adapting the Testing and Tracing programme to respond to these changes, while at the same time making sure both infrastructure and staff are available if testing needs to scale back up quickly.
The HSE expects all testing centres will close later this year, once the public health advice changes for population testing. PCR testing will remain available for those who need it to access therapeutic treatments, or as part of their clinical treatment.
The South Douglas Road centre will continue to offer appointments 7 days a week via the self-referral portal on HSE.ie or GP referral for those who require it based on public health advice.
Chief Officer of Cork Kerry Community Healthcare Michael Fitzgerald paid tribute to the staff at the centre: “The staff at the Lee Covid testing facility played an absolutely critical role in our response to Covid-19. As chief officer, I want to acknowledge the work and commitment of everyone who has worked at the centre.”
Staff at the Lee Covid test centre have been invited to apply for other suitable positions within Cork Kerry Community healthcare service like health care support assistants, clerical officers and healthcare assistants in community hospitals.