Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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840. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to carry out testing of antibodies in the population to see the percentage that may have had Covid-19 similar to a system in Germany. [26603/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In June 2020, a seroprevalence study commenced in Ireland using antibody testing, to measure exposure to COVID-19 infection in a representative sample of the population in Dublin (high level of cases) and Sligo (low level of cases). A report on the overall findings of the study was published by the HPSC on its website on 21 August.  It is called “Preliminary report of the results of the Study to Investigate COVID-19 Infection in People Living in Ireland (SCOPI): A national seroprevalence study, June-July 2020”.

Amongst its findings at that time, it stated that :

“...we estimate that 59,500 people in Ireland aged between 12 and 69 years of age have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. This is 3.0 times higher than the number of confirmed cases aged 12-69 years notified in Ireland“.

It went on to state that the vast majority of people living in Ireland are unlikely to have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 by the time of the study, and are therefore still susceptible to infection. This highlights the continued importance of public health measures, including physical distancing, respiratory etiquette, hand hygiene and the use of face coverings, until a vaccine for COVID-19 is universally available.

There are no immediate plans for a further such study, although NPHET will keep the matter under review.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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841. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to carry out rapid testing of arrivals from non-green list countries. [26604/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland supports efforts to find a coordinated approach to balancing free movement and travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains the responsibility of each Member State to enact the measures it sees fit for the protection of public health. However, a coordinated approach is necessary in order to limit the spread of the virus while at the same time keeping restrictions to the free movement of persons and goods to the necessary minimum.

We are working closely with the European Commission and other members states of the EU to agree a common approach to international travel. This includes consideration of the need to ensure that the establishment of any travel-related testing is effective in controlling transmission of the disease and does not impact negatively on the testing and tracing of symptomatic patients and serial testing of high-risk groups or workplace environments as recommended by NPHET from time to time.