Tag Archives: tracing

T

 HSE’s National Lead for testing and tracing, Niamh O’Beirne this afternoon

This afternoon.

Dr Steevens’ Hospital, Dublin.

HSE weekly briefing

Niamh O’Beirne [HSE National Lead for testing and tracing] said “we are in surge, exceeding 20,000 tests per day.”

She said the positivity rate over the last week was 5.9% across community test centres. Yesterday it was 7.8%, she added.

Ms O’Beirne said “at some sites it’s as high as 15%”.

She said the number of close contacts is “around four per person”.

She urged people to “take the calls from contact tracers and give all of your contacts”.

You need to give all of the names so that we can text them regularly and so that they can be referred for testing.”

Covid-19: ‘Vulnerability’ to Delta reduced by vaccines (RTÉ)

Leah Farrell/Photocall ireland

From top: Bryan Dobson; HSE Specialist in Public Health Medicine Dr Sarah Doyle 

This lunchtime.

On RTÉ Radio One’s News At One.

Dr Sarah Doyle, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, spoke to Bryan Dobson about the contact-tracing controversy.

Thousands of people, who have tested positive for Covid-19 have recieved texts today telling them to carry out their own contact-tracing.

From their conversation:

Bryan Dobson: “Is it inevitable that infections will be missed as a result?”

Dr Sarah Doyle: “Well, I think that, and you’ve just mentioned Bryan, that people who may receive potentially shocking news and I would acknowledge that this will come as a shock to some people and then some people may take it somewhat in their stride, and it might be more difficult for others. And what I would say is to people to draw a breath, sit down, maybe have a chat with a friend and just reflect on what we’re asking people to do in this, is to identify their close contacts.

“Obviously, if they’re unwell, they would still need to phone their GP and make contact with them. And I guess what this is about and what contact tracing is about, and it’s a part of a number of different public health measures, to manage this pandemic. What it is about is identifying as many people at risk of spreading infection as possible and ensuring that they do…”

Dobson: “Yes…”

Doyle: “…what is needed to prevent the spread of infection. So…”

Dobson: “But do you…”

Doyle: “…those people who have had positive test results they now get a text message as soon as we have that result, they get that result…”

Dobson: “Yeah…but can you…”

Doyle: “… and from that point they should be self-isolating….”

Dobson: “OK…”

Doyle: “….and cutting down claims of transmission…”

Dobson: “Are you….”

Doyle: “…and…identifying close contacts. Acknowledging that obviously it is not…”

Dobson: “Doctor Doyle, it’s a straightforward question. Do you accept that infections will be missed as a result of this?”

Silence.

Dobson: “And I think we seem to have lost our link to Dr Sarah Doyle, of the HSE. No, she’s gone? Ok, well we’ll continue on this….”

Earlier: Trace The Blame

RollingNews

Yesterday.

In the Dáil.

Independent TD Denis Naughten claimed that some employers are getting their employees’ Covid-19 test results and that these employers are telling their staff whether they are Covid-19 positive or negative.

Mr Naughten had been asking the Minister for Health Simon Harris about Covid-19 infection rates at meat plants when he made the claim. He was also talking about a delay in returning negative results.

He said:

“….negative results are being long-fingered for days and possibly weeks. In fact, the system is so bad that employers are being directly provided with a list of test results and they are the ones informing employees as to whether they are positive or negative for Covid-19. Will the Minister now confirm that medical data are being shared with employers before employees and explain to me why this is happening?”

Mr Harris said he didn’t know anything about employers receiving results, saying:

“I do not have any information about the issue of patients’ details going to their employers but I would be very happy to receive it and revert to the Deputy.”

Later, the Ceann Comhairle raised the matter with the minster and they had this exchange:

Ceann Comhairle: “Deputy Denis Naughten raised the point that information in respect of test results was going to employers before it went to those who had been tested. That would be fundamental concern to the public and needs to be addressed.”

Simon Harris: “As Deputy Denis Naughten has made that comment on the record of the House, I have asked him to provide the details.”

Denis Naughten: “It has happened in a number of instances across the country.”

Harris: “I do not have that detail so I do not intend to comment.”

Anyone?

Transcript via Oireachtas.ie

Naughten tells Dáil ‘contact tracing is so poor that employers informing staff’ (Longford Leader)