Absence of a COVID-19 test centre in Athlone 'absolutely crazy'
Amid mounting concern at the growing escalation in Covid-19 cases nationally, there has been strong criticism in Athlone this week at the absence of a dedicated Covid-19 testing centre for the local population.
Athlone has been without a Covid-19 testing centre since July when the HSE closed the facility which was operating on the grounds of the Institute of Technology, and they have confirmed this week that they have “no current plans” to provide a testing centre in the town.
The decision of the HSE has been described as “absolutely crazy” by Athlone Mayor, Cllr Aengus O’Rourke, who has raised the issue at Government level.
“As it stands, if you live in Cornamaaddy and have to go for a Covid test, you are sent to Mullingar, 63km away, and if you live in Baylough, you are told to go to Castlerea, 61km away, the whole situation is ludicrous and needs to be addressed urgently,” said Cllr O’Rourke.
At present, Westmeath has only one Covid testing centre, which is based in Mullingar, while the nearest testing centre for people who live on the west side of Athlone, in South Roscommon, is now based in Castlerea since the HSE closed the testing facility at the “The Lodge” in Roscommon town at the end of May.
Cllr O’Rourke said Covid-19 is “ now local” in Athlone and the one sure way of dealing with it is by “efficient and reliable testing and tracing.”
He said there are “ plenty of empty community run buildings” in Athlone town which could be used to provide a testing centre, and he called for members of the Order of Malta, Civil Defence and Army medics to receive training to enable them to carry out tests.
“By being forced to go to Mullingar and Castlerea for a Covid test, people are technically in breach of public health advice on a number of levels,” claimed the Athlone Mayor.
“Firstly we are told to restrict our movements, and if you don’t drive you are forced to either rely on public transport, which you are not supposed to take, and by asking someone to drive you, you are putting them at risk for 50 minutes in a car….the whole thing is totally unacceptable.”
While the HSE has confirmed that it has no current plans to provide a second Westmeath testing centre in Athlone, it said that older persons who are sent forward for a test, but decline due to transport issues, are “followed up and referred to the national ambulance service who organise a home visit.”
When the HSE opened a drive-through testing centre for Roscommon at Castlerea fire station on May 20 last, a spokesperson said they had tried to get a facility in Roscommon town, but everything they looked at would require “quite a lot of investment to make it suitable.”
The decision to close the testing centre at AIT in mid-July was taken by the HSE as part of its plan to “consolidate its number of testing centres, based on current demand.”
At the height of the Covid-19 crisis in April, the HSE had three testing centres operating on a rotating basis in Longford and Westmeath. A temporary testing centre also operated in St Vincent’s Care Campus in Athlone for a short period in March.