TWO ADDITIONAL POP up Covid-19 testing centres are to open in north inner city Dublin and west Dublin this weekend. 

Situated at Handball Alley, Croke Park and Castleknock Health Centre, the additional pop up centres will offer free testing for anyone with coronavirus symptoms, who are referred by a GP.

The pop up centres will increase capacity by between 180 to 200 tests per day and run in conjunction with the community testing centre based at the National Show Centre in Swords.

These centres will provide a service to all members of the public, who have been referred for testing by a GP.

In addition to these extra pop up centres, four new community testing centres have recently been set up to manage local demand, the HSE said.

These include two new community testing centres in Dublin, one in Kildare and one in Portlaoise.

Across the country there are now 30 community test centres, as well as mobile units for outbreak management and home testing, which is available through the National Ambulance Centre.

The HSE has said those being tested will be required to follow public health measures, including social distancing, not travelling by taxi or public transport, practising good personal hygiene and wearing a face covering throughout (including travelling to and from the testing centre).

Anyone who tests positive for the virus will be contacted by HSE contact tracing team to help them track their contacts.

Close contacts of those testing positive will also hear from HSE contact tracers, advising them to restrict their movements by staying at home for 14 days and to organise coronavirus testing to prevent them from unknowingly spreading the virus.

“These two pop up centres mean that anyone who has symptoms can call their GP to get a free test and quickly find out whether they have the virus and need to stay at home, or if they can safely return to their normal routine,” Mellany McLoone, Chief Officer of CHO Dublin North City and County, said.

“I would like to convey our sincere thanks to Croke Park and the local residents for facilitating us to provide this very valuable service to our population.”

Handball Alley, Croke Park appointments will be offered from 11.30am to 6.30pm from 5 to 11 September .

Castleknock Health Centre appointments will be offered from 11.30am to 6.30pm from 5 to 9 September.