By Sarah Slater
Two staff members have tested positive for Covid-19 at a nursing home in Tipperary.
The positive results followed on from the testing of staff at Greenhill Nursing Home in Carrick-on-Suir last Monday.
Public health measures have been put into immediate effect with the affected staff now self isolating.
The HSE are providing advice to nursing home management, the National Public Health Emergency Team led by acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn, the Department of Health and Nursing Homes Ireland.
Visits to the nursing home have been suspended for the next 14 days.
Director of nursing Shona O'Brien said in a letter to relatives that:
”The key consideration in this regard is mitigating the transmission of the virus from the community into the nursing home.
"Visits are suspended until October 12 and we will continue to communicate any updates in this regard to resident representatives.
“Be assured we remain committed to proving all our residents with the best possible care during this health emergency. We are working closely with the HSE and public health colleagues to protect residents from the virus and support their healthcare needs.”
Ms O’Brien moved to reassure family members that nursing home staff, “are working tremendously hard to ensure residents are receiving excellent care. We recognise not having in-person contact will prove extremely difficult and we will be facilitating remote contact to support engagement between you and your loved one.
“The ethos and values at Greenhill Nursing Home remain the same and we are committed to providing all residents with comfort and reassurance.
“You will appreciate that huge sacrifices have to be made within nursing homes to protect our most vulnerable and we in Greenhill Nursing Home are no different," Ms O'Brien added.
