Dr Tony Holohan said earlier this month that antigen testing is “just not as good as PCR”.
THE HEALTH MINISTER has established an expert group on rapid antigen testing which the group’s lead has said will examine how to “safely use rapid antigen testing to open our society”.
Professor Mary Horgan, president of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, was a member of this group and has now been asked by the Health Minister to lead a group to progress the use of rapid antigen testing. “They are not a replacement for PCR but an additional tool. This group will provide expert advice to facilitate the rollout of tests in various sectors.”
“They’re the people that we need to detect, and really it is case detection, so that they’re identified before they leave home and go to the workplace or go to college so that they can stay at home and go into our very successful testing strategy that we have at the moment,” professor Horgan said. Professor Horgan said the implementation of antigen testing will be “in a framework where we can provide national minimum standards” and a platform to roll out the testing in an app-based infrastructure.
“I’m hoping that once the minister announces all the terms of reference and the group that we will get to the task at hand as soon as possible, and have all the supports that the government will give us for that.”
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