Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 September 2020
62. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure consistent and regular testing of all healthcare staff in view of the fact that the instance of Covid-19 among health care workers here is higher than in any other country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23665/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraA comprehensive, reliable and responsive testing and tracing operation is central to our public health strategy for containing and slowing the spread of COVID-19 and the HSE has worked intensively over the last number of months to put this in place and I would again like to acknowledge the huge work undertaken in this regard across the HSE.
Ireland is pursuing a robust testing strategy under the guidance of NPHET. NPHET will continue to consider and review, based on public health risk assessments, how best to target testing to hunt the virus in populations where it’s most likely and where it will do most harm. As the Deputy is aware, a serial testing programme for all staff in nursing homes has been in place since the end of June, with all staff tested on a fortnightly basis. NPHET is also giving ongoing consideration to the development and implementation of appropriate surveillance strategies for healthcare workers in other settings.
It is important to note that while testing is an important component of our response to Covid-19, it is only one element of our response and it doesn't replace the range of protective measures that are necessary to prevent the transmission of this disease.
