250,000th swab test carried out at Citywest Testing Centre
The recipient of the 250,000 swab at Citywest Testing Centre was Deirdre O’Neill with Site Clinical Lead Maria McCarthy

250,000th swab test carried out at Citywest Testing Centre

STAFF at the Citywest Testing Centre carried out their 250,000th swab test since opening last September, today (Monday, October 11).

The recipient of the 250,000th swab test was Deirdre O’Neill, while community swabber Rebecca Keating hand-carved a serving board to mark the landmark figure.

The Citywest centre opened on September 3 last, and has seen the ebb and flow of the demand for Covid testing in the community.

On the busiest day at the test centre, which was January 5 this year, a total of 1,601 swab tests were completed, while on the quietest day, December 13, a total of 94 swabs were taken.

On average, staff at the centre complete 621 swab tests per day.
“The team of people working on the test site include HSE staff, volunteers, traffic security, agency staff, and members of the Defence Forces and each and every person provides a high level of care and compassion to the members of the public who attend for their swab,” said a HSE spokeswoman.

“We are marking the 250,000th swab to show our appreciation for our team working here in Citywest who have turned up to work every day throughout the pandemic through rain, wind, snow and sunshine, with a smile and a welcome to everyone who enters the site.”

A group of Swabbers, the administration team, volunteers, Traffic Management and Defence Forces in Citywest today marking the occasion

Staff were treated to cake by Dave from Igo Café in Sallynoggin to mark the occasion, but emphasis was also placed on the importance of members of the public continuing to engage with public health messaging.

“It is also important to acknowledge the members of the public who respond to the continued public health messaging and come forward for swabbing to continue to protect themselves and the people around them,” said the spokeswoman.

“As the restrictions continue to reduce, and the country opens up more, it is more essential than ever that people come forward and continue to be swabbed if they have symptoms or if they have been identified as a close contact.

“Our team of people continue to be here to provide a high quality, caring service to anyone who comes for a swab.”

The Citywest Hotel campus’s contract with the HSE was recently renewed, as the hotel premises is continuing to be used as an isolation centre and the convention centre has also operated as one of the HSE’s main vaccination centres.

TAGS
Share This