The Health Minister is being urged to explore the possibility of using Our Lady’s Hospital in Cashel to locate an isolation unit in Co Tipperary, if the Covid-19 virus were to be detected locally.
The call has been made by Deputy Mattie McGrath who said that it may be more prudent for the HSE to consider using the Cashel unit for this purpose given that South Tipperary General Hospital is already ‘at absolute capacity’ and is under pressure to maintain normal services.
He has suggested that the HSE should at least explore the possibility of locating any isolation unit in a hospital facility such as Our Lady’s, to minimise the impact on patient care elsewhere.
He did note however that if it turns out, on foot of expert advice, that locating the Isolation Units in Cashel are not appropriate ‘then that advice must of course be deferred to in the interests of public safety’.
For official information and advice on the Covid-19 Coronavirus outbreak, please visit hse.ie/coronavirus
