Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The figures I received yesterday showed that, between community nursing units and nursing homes at the moment, we have 320 in outbreak, which is a phenomenal number of outbreaks. The residents are all vaccinated and boosted and are not getting as sick. In the nursing home setting, the average outbreak is approximately eight patients. However, as the Minister alluded to, previously the homes had to be 28 days Covid-free before they could take in a referral from an acute hospital. Currently, about 230 people fall into that category in the acute system. However, the fact that the guidelines were changed last week, and how they can also take back in who actually have Covid but are not shedding the disease at that time, we hope will make a big difference, but we probably will not see the impact of that for two to three weeks. It will certainly help. It is really important to state as well, in relation to facilities such as nursing homes and community nursing units, the importance of people still adhering to mask-wearing, hand sanitisation and the infection prevention and control measures. Our nursing homes and our community nursing units are still very much challenged with Covid.