Aontú Calls for 24 hour PCR Testing.
The Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD has described the situation as an 'emergency' for the families and individuals affected by the shortage of PCR Tests.
He said: "Aontú is calling on the government to invest in testing services immediately to ensure that they can operate 24 hours in the day. Pop up testing centres should be opened in each of these nineteen counties where testing appointments are no longer available. PCR Testing is a key tool in the fight against Covid yet citizens have now to wait up to 2 days for a test and up to 4 days for a result. Despite advice to restrict movements this wait is almost certainly leading to the spread of the illness”.
“Many sectors are in crisis now because healthy staff have to stay at home while they wait for a test. I know of child care facilities that have to shut classes due to staff waiting for a PCR tests. Parents needing to work are furious that they can’t bring in their children to these facilities and some are threatening to withhold payment. This puts the Childcare facility is debt or danger of closing. On one hand the government are not providing timely PCR but yet are telling certain people not do an Antigen tests”.
“The idea that the government is considering an increase in restrictions with all the social and economic costs that entails because in part of a lack of testing capacity is shocking. Last booking opportunities for PCR Tests in certain centres can be as early as 4.30pm and none seem to go beyond 7pm. People can go shopping in a Tesco for 24 hours a day yet at this key juncture Government PCR testing is keeping near office hours”
The counties for which there are no test appointments available are as follows:
Cork
Carlow
Dublin
Kerry
Kildare
Kilkenny
Laois
Leitrim
Limerick
Longford
Louth
Meath
Offaly
Sligo
Tipperary
Waterford
Westmeath
Wexford
Wicklow