A Monaghan-based GP has said the proposed plan to end Covid-19 testing for the general population in the autumn should be discussed with GPs.
The Department of Health has said that Covid-19 will be managed in a similar manner to other infectious diseases, primarily as a clinical decision at GP care level, but underpinned by a robust surveillance system.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Dr Illona Duffy said the plan needs to be discussed with GPs as they move into a busy time in September with flu vacines and "presumably booster vaccines for Covid coming in. "We are going to be busier than ever." Dr Duffy said that although GPs "are seeing a reduction in people presenting to us looking for tests...the concern is that we still have a disease process that is spreading very easily in our community".
She said the virus continues to have an impact on health care services "for patients going into hospital", adding that "in the community, it means for those of us in general practice and in other settings that if any of our staff or any of our clinicians develop Covid, they are out for a week, so we are still trying to protect ourselves to make sure we are available to work".