TD calls for greater testing for Covid-19 in nursing homes
Bríd Smith calls for greater delivery of PPEs to nursing homes as number of clusters grow
People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith has called on the HSE and Minister for Health to prioritise the testing for Covid-19 of residents and staff at all nursing homes.
The TD revealed she has been contacted by many workers alarmed at practices and the lack of basic PPE equipment at many centres that are part of the growing number of Covid-19 infected clusters in the sector.
Earlier today she said: “I have had calls from very distraught workers who are been tasked with securing their own supplies for their nursing home. This must end and the Minister must commit to insuring the HSE centrally supply these to all nursing homes.
“A huge concern for staff is the release of patients from acute hospitals into nursing homes without tests for the virus been conducted. They are also skeptical about the testing for temperatures as there is ample research to show that a high proportion of those carrying the virus may be asymptomatic, thus rendering this utterly ineffective”.
The TD also revealed that she raised the issue of testing for front line carers of the elderly several weeks ago with the CMO but was told only that we were not testing for carers of the elderly at that stage.
She said: “This seemed unbelievable to me some weeks ago, and it continues to baffle me that it’s not a priority given that we know this is a most vulnerable cohort of people.
“There is an urgent need for the Government to move beyond spin and PR releases and deliver alternative accommodation for staff who need to self-isolate and to actually deliver PPEs directly into these homes while prioritising the testing of all staff and patients.”
