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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 May 2020

Wednesday, 20 May 2020

Ceisteanna (773)

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

773. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on the claim by the NPHET that following the introduction of guidelines, patients are not discharged from hospitals into nursing homes unless they test negative twice for Covid-19 before being moved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6598/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) for COVID-19 oversees and provides national direction, guidance, support and expert advice on the development and implementation of a strategy to contain COVID-19 in Ireland.

 The NPHET is the mechanism for coordinating the health sector response to significant public health emergencies. It facilitates the sharing of information between the Department of Health and its agencies, including the HSE. It provides a forum for agreement on strategic approaches to public health emergencies. This approach is in line with the advice of the World Health Organization.  

HSE guidelines aim to assist staff in residential care facilities, including nursing homes, in their management of COVID-19 cases, including in relation to decisions on transfer of residents, to hospitals, where appropriate.  

The HSE through the Health Protection Surveillance Centre has developed an extensive body of guidance and support tools to assist staff in residential care facilities, including nursing homes, in their management of COVID-19 cases, including in relation to decisions on transfer of residents, to hospitals, where appropriate. The current relevant guidelines are the “Interim Public Health and Infection Prevention Control Guidelines on the Prevention and Management of COVID-19 Cases and Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities and Similar Units" (version 4.1 dated 4 May 2020).

The advice states that “People with confirmed COVID-19 should not be transferred to a residential care facility [RCF] until 14 days after onset of symptoms with the last 5 days free of fever. In addition, they should have two nasopharyngeal samples taken at least 24 hours apart reported as not detected.  Residents who fulfil the above criteria are not infectious and do not need any special considerations in terms of placement within the RCF.” 

The advice notes that: “For those hospitalised patients with a persistent positive PCR test for COVID-19, IPC precautions should be kept in place for another 7 days (i.e. for a total of 21 days) and then removed, provided the patient has no symptoms consistent with ongoing COVID-19 infection at this point. No further retesting is required, as the risk of transmission is extremely low at this point. After 21 days, they can then be discharged from hospital to residential settings, if well enough for discharge.”

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