Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 26 May 2020

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response

Business of Special Committee

Photo of Colm BurkeColm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On a different issue, at the meeting last week reference was made to one third of all healthcare workers having tested positive. That statement was subsequently reported on by an RTÉ news programme. If one extrapolates from that reference, approximately 45,000 healthcare workers would have tested positive, which is incorrect. What ought to have been stated is that one third of those who have tested positive are healthcare workers. It is important that the incorrect statement be corrected. In fairness to the news presenter who reported on it, she was only following up on what was stated before the committee. It is important that we correct that statement. One third of those who have tested positive are healthcare workers. There are more than 130,000 workers between the HSE, private nursing homes and disability facilities, so 7,500 positive tests means less than 6% of them have tested positive. It is important that that message be conveyed rather than incorrect information.

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