Woman claims HSE told her to take a bus to her Covid-19 test

The woman claims she was told to take the bus to her Covid-19 test in Dublin. The HSE say they are "not currently recommending" people use public transport to attend test centres. File Picture.

A woman displaying symptoms of Covid-19 claims she was advised by a HSE representative to take a bus to her testing centre as she did not have private transport.

The woman, who lives in the north inner city in Dublin, was referred to a test centre in Swords, over 10km away. When the woman said she did not have private transport, she was told she would have to wait a further four days before the HSE would be able to organise transport for her. At that point, she says, she was advised to take the bus “because I was not a confirmed case yet”.

The woman says she was told a test could be scheduled for the next day if she could get to the centre. She agreed.

“I put on two masks because I was very nervous and didn’t feel right doing it but what choice did I have,” she said. 

The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) said some of its members believe passengers are travelling to test centres on the bus. 

Dermot O’Leary, general secretary of the NBRU, said they had major concerns if people were being told to take public transport to test centres.

“The onus is on the state to provide some mechanism whereby people in that position can be either tested or brought to the centre.

“There are a number of centres where the same issue is a concern.” 

A spokesperson for the HSE said they are “not currently recommending that people attend using public transport, but we would recommend that if possible they obtain a lift from a friend or family member.”

The spokesperson said that while people from Dublin’s inner city were being referred to the Swords venue, there are plans to open another test centre in Croke Park this week.

The woman displayed symptoms on the evening of Sunday, October 4 and contacted her GP by phone the next day. 

On Tuesday afternoon, she was referred for a test and given an appointment for Wednesday morning. She told the HSE she had no transport, and was told her appointment would need to be rescheduled.

On Thursday, she spoke to the representative whom, she says, suggested she take the bus. 

She agreed and attended for her test last Friday. She received her results, testing negative, seven days after she first displayed symptoms.

The HSE spokesperson said that in the north Dublin area over the last seven days a rate of 95% of either same day or next day referrals for testing has been achieved.