From top: The COVID-19 testing facility on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay on the Liffey in Dublin city centre, Róisín Shortall co-leader of the Social Democrats
This afternoon.
Following the closure of some testing centres, Róisín Shortall, of the Social Democrats, has called on Government to ‘provide an explanation’.
Ms Shorthall said:
“The public deserves clear answers about the reason we are not operating at full testing capacity. The national strategy to combat Covid-19 is test and trace, but some testing centres were closed over the weekend.
For example, the test centre in Tallaght was closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday and is only working a half day today. Others have been operating very restricted hours or not opening at all on some days.
Given that the infrastructure and staff are in place, and indeed many volunteers have been sent home, what is holding up the full-scale operation of test and trace?
Last week Ireland had a testing capacity of 60,000 and yet only 41,470 tests were carried out.
“The case definition remains very narrow and this is a cause of much frustration for GPs, many of whom believe a wider cohort of their patients need to be tested.
We’ve been told that not enough is known about the behaviour of the virus at community level, yet puzzlingly very little community testing is taking place.
The public has put in a huge effort to stay at home for many weeks now, but the success of their efforts and the country’s recovery is entirely dependent on the test and trace strategy.
“Why are we not using the full testing capacity when the national strategy is based on test and trace? The facts don’t add up, and the public deserves a clear answer from the Government.”
Anyone?
Previously: Without A Trace
It’s not in operation because the cohort to be tested are decreasing. As new cases dwindle and deaths fall the virus has passed it’s peak. That is not to say there will not be a resurgence in the subsequent months – most people expect there will be. Testing can only detect cases – symptomatic (directed to test centres by the GP or Hospital or Self) or Asymptomatic ( 40% of cases) – but who is going to go for a test if you have no symptoms?
What are they going to do on the testing project? Force randomers to go? Just to build testing numbers? Its bad optics from a Govt perspective to have empty testing centres but even worse to close them, so they remain wastefully open just because the Govt have announced they will test and trace etc. They also think that the contact app will roll in to save them. Unlikely given data and privacy concerns.
Leo et al are mortified really by:
a) Nursing home deaths which they could have prevented
b) Missing the boat on testing (above)
c) Waste of public funds on Private Hospital deal (have we actually got a cost on that yet)
d) the fact that countries like Sweden take a light touch approach to the same problem and still come out with better economic outcomes.
The usual. They are now going for Govt again with the help off FF/ Green… Happy Days
Maybe someone could clarify this for me- claims have been made that the test is for a specific DNA sequence and that they have never managed to isolate the actual virus itself? True / False?
If that is the case then how can they do a viral load count?
HSE facility shut for bank holiday weekend shock!
(Get ready for Slaintecare).