Professor Cillian Twomey:

We need testing and rapid turnaround of results needs to be applied, not just in the nursing home sector we are discussing in terms of staff and residents but, as we have heard in recent weeks, it is a challenge to apply it nationally as well. If there is a suspicion, a person must have a test as quickly as possible and get the results as quickly as possible. It would be nice to think the testing arrangement that was very publicly promoted and mentioned last evening could be applied across the country. What we need is that level of promptness so that if there is somebody who is positive one can get on with contacting the individuals that person was in touch with. That is a seriously important part and it requires funding and setting up. There are places available to do it, but we have to be vigilant and we also need to crank that up in the event of anything like a surge re-emerging.