“It’s very clear that Covid-19 is going to be with the Irish health system for a longer period of time than we may have expected.”
Paul Reid, the CEO of the HSE, has said that a new model that can deliver over 100,000 coronavirus tests per week has been formally agreed in Ireland.
Reid said that the new model had been agreed with the Secretary General of the Department of Health, in the hopes of increasing the amount of tests conducted per day.
Speaking from UCD on Sunday morning, Reid spoke about how we needed to continue to ensure that our healthcare service remains able to tackle the virus.
He also said that he believes that the affects of Covid-19 will affect the country “well into 2020, and most likely into 2021.”
He said: “The reality is now that we need to build for a longer term model, not just a wartime model, to protect everyone.”
“As we look at the experience across many of the countries who’ve expereienced Covid so far, and as we look at the modelling prepared by NEPHET overall, it’s very clear that Covid-19 is going to be with the Irish health system for a longer period of time than we may have expected.”
Reid also praised the work that has been done so far, but reiterated that there is more to do.
An update on Ireland’s Covid-19 situation is expected this evening.
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