https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/ ... -1.4211379
IRSKA:
Coronavirus: People seeking testing must now display two symptoms rather than one
One further death and 204 new confirmed cases reported as stocks of protective equipment run ‘low’
People seeking testing for coronavirus will have to display two major symptoms rather than one before they are referred, following a major change in how those deemed suitable for testing are selected.
Patients will have to show fever and at least one sign of respiratory disease - such as cough or shortness of breath - before they can be referred for testing, under a change recommended by the National Public Health Emergency Team.
One further death and 204 new confirmed cases have been reported by the NPHET at its daily briefing on Tuesday evening.
The deceased patient, a male in the east of the country, had an underlying health condition.
This brings to seven the number of deaths from Covid-19 in the Republic, and to 1,329 the number of confirmed cases.
Up to now, either fever or cough was considered sufficient for referral, but this led to a massive increase in demand, with 20,000 people a day seeking testing.
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said this had led to a lot of inappropriate testing and a focus was needed now on priority groups such as people in hospital or healthcare workers.
He admitted public health officials had “cast the net too widely, in good faith” when they loosened the criteria two weeks ago but added they had always said “we won’t get everything right”.
The latest change is likely to sharply reduce the number of people referred for testing from the present levels, which Dr Holohan described as unfeasible and unsustainable.