Better prevention, detection and treatment options for Covid-19 are available to nursing home residents, according to a consultant in Geriatric and Stroke Medicine at Tallaght University Hospital.
Professor Ronan Collins said that when community transmission rises it is "almost inevitable" there will be outbreaks in nursing homes.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Prof Collins said the expert group that reported to government after the first wave of the virus allowed for greater understanding of the disease and the measures needed to protect vulnerable residents and staff.
He said "a higher index of suspicious cases" would allow different symptoms to be tracked and lead to more and earlier testing and isolation, along with better