Government to expand follow-up as closure closes



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A massive effort is underway to expand monitoring of Covid-19 cases so that restrictions on economic and social life can be eased early next month.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced on Friday an extension of the current two-week shutdown by another three weeks, until after the May holiday weekend, to further curb the spread of the virus.

Mr. Varadkar said the government was working and planning a relaxation of the restrictions, but declined to say when this would occur.

But public health officials say any relief from the restrictions will depend on our ability to comprehensively assess the disease and trace contacts of confirmed cases so they can be followed up quickly.

“We just have to be in a situation where we can do a substantially greater amount of testing in the future than we are doing now,” said chief medical officer Dr. Tony Holohan last night.

With the testing system affected by long delays in the past month, Dr. Holohan said HSE was redoubling its efforts to offer a “fit for purpose” test and contact tracking system. People were working “day and night” in obtaining reagents, a vital chemical used in testing, and in developing laboratory capacity in Ireland and abroad, he said.

“We cannot be in a situation where delays of three to four days occur” in testing people suspected of having Covid-19, he said, and the testing capacity and reporting capacity would be expanded to address this challenge.

HSE CEO Paul Reid took the unprecedented step of appointing an external management consultant, Niamh O’Beirne, to oversee the escalation of Covid-19 testing and follow-up on contacts.

Of the deaths that have occurred so far, 54% occurred in nursing homes.

Ms. O’Beirne, from the EY consultants, who has been attached to HSE’s executive management team for six months, is also tasked with designing operational plans for “a gradual return to business as usual.”

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