Coronavirus Northern Ireland: Contact tracing to help limit second wave launches on Monday | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

Coronavirus Northern Ireland: Contact tracing to help limit second wave launches on Monday

A new contact tracing programme for Covid-19 to help examine how Northern Ireland can limit the impact of a second wave of the disease is being launched by the Public Health Agency (PHA).

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From Monday 27 April, the PHA will begin a pilot programme of contact tracing which will help inform the planned rollout of Northern Ireland-wide contact tracing.

Speaking to Newry Times, Dr Jackie Hyland, Health Protection Consultant at the PHA, said, “The aim of contact tracing is to identify clusters of infection and prevent further spread of Covid-19.

 

 

“The contact tracing in the pilot programme will focus on priority groups within the population where clusters of infection may be presenting.

“Within the current pilot, we will be exploring this with a number of care homes.

 

 

“This involves new ways of working so there is a lot still that we need to learn about the process.

“We have teamed up with colleagues in the university sector, the Health and Social Care Trusts, and Environmental Health to put in place all the necessary logistics and our thanks to all those who have offered and provided this assistancem” she continued.

 

 

“As Health Minister Robin Swann announced at the Health Committee meeting on Thursday 23 April, a wider programme of contact tracing will be rolled out across Northern Ireland.

“The processes tested in this pilot programme will be crucial in helping to shape and implement future contact tracing activity.

“It’s still important that we also remind people of the part they can play in preventing the spread of coronavirus – adhere to the social distancing guidelines and make sure that you wash your hands regularly.

 

 

“If you do become unwell, telephone your GP, do not attend in person to a medical facility unless advised by a healthcare professional,” Dy Hyland added.

For further information on Covid-19 (coronavirus) please visit www.pha.site/coronavirus

 

Keep up to date with all the latest Northern Ireland Coronavirus / Covid-19 news HERE

 

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Posted by on Apr 25 2020. Filed under Coronavirus. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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