OVER 300 people have were tested for Covid-19 at the Enniskillen testing centre in the first two weeks it was open.
The test and trace centre opened at St Angelo Airport outside the county town at the end of May. By June 10, a total of 320 local people were tested for the virus at the centre, the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) has revealed.
The opening of the local testing centre was widely welcomed last month, however there had been some concerns over the number of local people actually availing of it, as well as around the centre’s staff recruitment process.
The local Council had written to the HSCB outlining these concerns, asking how many people were attending the centre, how queues were being managed, if opening times could be extended. Councillors also asked about the openness and transparency of staff recruitment, after it was revealed former members of the armed forces had been urged to apply for the roles.
Responding to these concerns, HSCB chief executive Valerie Watts explained the Enniskillen testing centre was part of a UK-wide initiative and her body was not directly involved in its operation. She said she had, however, sought clarification on some of the issues raised.
For example, Ms Watts said 320 had attended the centre between May 27-June 10. She said as numbers using the centre were currently low, and as such there were no queues accessing it. If the centre becomes busier, she said extra car lanes could be opened.
With regard staff, Ms Watts said recruitment had been carried out by the company SERCO, which had been contracted by the Westminster government.
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