Older Peoples’ Commissioner: Testing at care homes is not going far enough

Statistics released by NISRA in the past two weeks have shown more coronavirus deaths are now being recorded in care homes than in hospitals.

Speaking about the increase in testing Eddie Lynch told Good Morning Ulster: “It still isn’t rolling out testing to homes that have no Covid signs or outbreaks so far and for me the purpose of universal testing is to put that ring of steel around all of our care homes as much as we possibly can.”

“We’ve heard stories from frontline workers, from nurses, from social care workers who have expressed their concerns at not being tested, as well as residents in homes themselves.”

“It is a step in the right direction, there’s no doubt about that, it’s increasing testing, but we still need answers about what measures are going to be in place for those homes that don’t have Covid now, who have done such a great job of keeping it out at this stage.

“What other measures, in the absence of testing, can drive that reassurance to family members and staff and the public that those homes are being protected as best as they possibly can.”