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The HSE is under such pressure that it may have to stop offering a Covid-19 test to everyone with symptoms in the coming weeks.
The test-and-trace system is becoming increasingly overwhelmed to the point that self-testing may have to be abandoned for everyone suspected of having the lethal virus.
Instead, tests targeting particular groups, such as older people, may need to be introduced. 4,962 new cases of the virus were reported yesterday, bringing the total number of infections here above the 100,000 mark to 101,887.
Anyone with symptoms of the virus is still being referred for testing as of now.
However, in a letter to GPs, Dr Nuala O’Connor of the Irish College of General Practitioners said: “We may again be testing symptomatic groups rather than everyone in the coming weeks. those with symptoms as we did in the first phase of the pandemic. “
The guide also said that if close contacts have continuous exposure to the person with Covid-19, such as a family member who cannot isolate himself, a child or a dependent adult, the family must stay home for 17 days.
With new infections hitting a record yesterday, Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan bluntly told people: “Stay home.”
As of 2 pm yesterday, there were 685 Covid-19 patients in the hospital, of which 62 were in the ICU. 96 more people were admitted to the hospital in the previous 24 hours.
“This is a critical time. We are seeing a really significant increase in infection, which is causing a very rapid increase in both hospitalizations and admissions to critical care units,” said Dr. Holohan.
He said this was “unsustainable for the health system.”
He told the public to “act like you’re contagious” and told people to work from home starting today, “and if you’re an employer, ask your employees to work from home.”
It was also found that 25% of people who test positive do not respond to the first call from public health personnel requesting a list of their contacts.
Dr. O’Connor said: “At least five attempts are made over two days. Additional efforts are also made to identify the correct phone numbers for all cases. Wrong phone numbers are part of this problem, so make sure you have the correct mobile phone number for all of your patients. “
“HSE asks everyone in Ireland to stay home and act effectively as if they could develop Covid-19,” he said.
“This is in response to the very high positive test rates seen in recent days and the widespread increase in infections in our communities across the country. This is a temporary measure and we will retest close contacts as the third wave is under control.
“The testing capacity is 25,000 tests per day; 40% of the tests in the last few weeks were done in close contacts.”
Close contacts will continue to be identified in the same way, through a phone call to those who test positive, by an HSE contact tracker.
Formally identified close contacts will receive a text message from the HSE explaining that they will not be tested but that they should stay home and restrict their movements for the full 14 days from the last contact with the person with Covid.
“If close contacts have continuous exposure to the person with Covid-19, that is, a family member who cannot isolate himself, a child or a dependent adult, the family must stay home for 17 days. ”Dr. O’Connor said.
“Some close contacts can be lost and will self-identify. The advice for these is the same and we do not need to notify public health. If close contacts develop symptoms, they are advised to self-isolate, contact a GP or ‘after hours’ and should be referred for testing in the usual way. “
He said GPs have the discretion to refer an asymptomatic close contact for testing if they consider it medically important, for example if they are living with a vulnerable person.
Members of the medical practice team and any healthcare worker wAll close contacts should be tested.
Irish independent
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