Covid-19: Over 5,500 skip tests in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary

HSE data shows thousands have failed to show up for scheduled Covid-19 tests at pop-up facilities in Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary

The Covid-19 clinic at Cusack Park in Ennis, where 1,301 people have not shown up for a test since June. Picture: Dan Linehan

Nearly 6,000 people have failed to attend their scheduled Covid-19 test at pop-up testing facilities in the Mid-West.

The figures, supplied from HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare, show there were 5,581 no shows at test centres in Limerick, Clare, and north Tipperary.

According to the figures, 63,620 people were tested at the centres, which opened and closed between March and October.

The highest number of tests in the region (16,027) were carried out on the grounds of St Joseph’s Hospital, Limerick, which opened on September 9th and has since closed. It also recorded the highest number of non-attendances (1,678).

At the Cusack Park GAA grounds in Ennis, there were 14,227 people tested, but a further 1,301 people were no-shows. The facility opened on June 9 and remains operational.

There were 13,602 tests along with 1,160 no-shows recorded at the Gaelic Grounds stadium in Limerick, which also opened on June 9th and has since closed.

HSE data shows thousands have failed to show up for scheduled Covid-19 tests in the mid-west. Picture: Domnick Walsh 

A test centre in Nenagh, which opened on June 9, carried out 10,571 and recorded 776 no shows.

There were 4,427 tests conducted at Limerick Community Test Centre and 471 non-attendances recorded, while 2,307 tests were carried out at St Gabriel's School, which recorded 83 no-shows.

An RSA Centre in Ennis tested 1,180 people and recorded 16 non-attendances; a test centre in Galvone, Roxboro Road, Limerick, tested 833 people and recorded 83 no-shows; Cre House in Roscrea tested 309 people with 17 non-attendances and a further test centre in Limerick conducted 157 tests and recorded 40 no-shows.

Test facilities at East Point, Ballysimon, Limerick, and at the Derg Centre, Tipperary, remain operational. The Cusack Park testing facility is due to be replaced by a test facility in Ballymaley, on November 23.