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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Sophie Collins

New Covid-19 public health advice comes into effect today

Today, the HSE will close all Covid-19 community testing centres nationwide, as we finally move away from the systems set up to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

Along with centres shutting their doors to the public, the online self-referral portal for ordering PCR tests will also be deactivated.

The welcome change comes following updated public health advice, which advises that Covid-19 testing is "no longer recommended for the vast majority of people".

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The HSE National Director for Public Health, Dr. John Cuddihy, spoke about these changes and said they are being made "on best available evidence in relation to managing Covid-19".

Going forward, if people develop symptoms of coronavirus or other viral respiratory tract infections, they do not need a test. They should instead stay at home and limit their contact with others until 48 hours after the symptoms have resolved.

From today, healthcare workers who are in close contact with people with Covid-19 will no longer have to do antigen tests - therefore the antigen-ordering portal on the HSE's website will close.

Doctors in hospitals and General Practice will continue to use antigen testing "for the purpose of diagnosing and deciding on the provision of treatment for Covid-19 to a patient".

Eileen Whelan, HSE Lead for Covid-19 Test and Trace and Vaccination, said: "A reduced contact tracing service will remain and contact tracing will be limited to those who have had a positive test in settings and scenarios (such as hospitals and long term care facilities) where further transmission is likely and could have a serious impact based on Public Health Risk Assessment."

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