Large number of people trying to get tested for Covid without referral

The HSE has urged people to stop attending Covid-19 testing centers without an appointment or referral from a GP after seeing an increase in the number of people arriving at the centers requesting a test. .

A letter sent to GPs from the HSE indicated that since December 23 there has been a “notable increase” in the number of service users who attend testing centers without a referral.

“This is putting significant pressure on the efficient operations of the test services and consequently is causing long delays and a poor user experience of the service,” the letter read.

The HSE then enlisted the help of GPs to ensure that only those who need a test receive a referral, and those who do not require testing stop showing up at the testing centers.

The letter said GPs should now inform their patients that a referral is mandatory for a test and make sure that people accept and attend their appointment at the facility where it was scheduled, rather than going to another facility. .

The letter also encouraged people not to arrive early for the test, to avoid queues.

#NEW

“It is simply exceeding our full responsiveness.”

– @CMOIreland says close contact testing is “containment activities” and symptomatic patients are “higher priority.”

Dr. Holohan says it will recover when the disease is “back under control.”@VirginMediaNews pic.twitter.com/6e8OpQy3Oq

– Zara King (@ZaraKing) December 31, 2020

As of Wednesday, December 30, more than 2.3 million Covid-19 tests had been completed in Ireland.

However, the HSE warned that contact tracing and testing capabilities could soon be broken if the spread of the virus is not slowed.

Yesterday, it was announced that the HSE is no longer advising close contacts of confirmed cases to get tested, in order to help the testing system overcome the increase.

However, if you are a close contact for a confirmed case, you are still required to restrict your movements and contact your GP immediately if you develop symptoms.

‘It is clear that we are no longer in a containment phase’, @CMOIreland he says, while laying out the rationale behind the decision to pause the close contact test. We are now in a mitigation phase in the fight against # COVID-19says | https://t.co/pO7lVq2dTO pic.twitter.com/Wr7flWQMnf

– RTÉ News (@rtenews) December 31, 2020

In a briefing Wednesday, HSE COO Anne O’Connor said they were planning an increase in the test and trace system, and are now using all of the augmentation capacity.

The six pop-ups of the National Ambulance Service are already in operation and all the trained personnel of the Defense Forces now work in swabbing centers.

The HSE has also increased the number of lanes and the opening hours of the test centers.

Laboratory capacity in Ireland has also increased, and HSE has engaged with a third-party provider regarding swab processing.

“However, the capacity is finite, and each part of the road has a maximum capacity that we are close to reaching,” said Ms. O’Connor.

“Continued exponential growth will challenge our system.”