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Covid close contacts are receiving antigen tests in the post today – here's how it will work

The system is for people who are both fully vaccinated and do not have symptoms of Covid.

THE FIRST BATCHES of antigen test kits are arriving in post boxes around the country today as the Government ramps up use of the rapid testing method. 

The tests are less accurate than the gold standard PCR and their use has been the subject of intense debate throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 

At present they are only being posted out to vaccinated people who were close contacts of confirmed Covid cases and who do not have symptoms of the disease.

However, the Taoiseach said yesterday that a “more wider use of antigen tests is certainly on the cards.”

The tests are also currently being used in hospitals, further and higher education settings, childcare services and places where there is a Covid outbreak.

Here’s how the system will work

Fully-vaccinated people do not need to restrict their movements after close contact with a confirmed case as long as they have no symptoms.

They will receive a phone call from a contact tracer who will take address details and the antigen tests will be delivered by An Post in the regular post.

Close contacts who do have symptoms are being instructed to book a PCR test rather than being sent the antigen kits.

The tests should arrive within two business days. People are being sent five tests, three to use over the course of five days and two spares.

The health service is instructing people to carry out the first test on the day they receive the kits. They should carry out the second test two days later and the third one two days after the second.

People will have to administer the tests themselves using the swab provided to take a sample from their nose.

The test should be done on a clean, clear and dry flat surface. People should also wash their hands thoroughly before carrying out the test.

Here’s an instructional video from the HSE:

HSE Ireland / YouTube

If any of the three antigen tests produce a positive result for Covid-19 the person is required to stay at home and book a PCR test.

If the PCR returns a negative result, they can come out of isolation and they do not need to do another antigen test.

If the PCR is positive they need to self-isolate and avoid contact with other people completely. They should only come out of isolation if they need urgent medical attention.

The period of self-isolation can be ended when the person hasn’t had a fever for five days and it has been 10 days since they first developed symptoms.

Positive cases who don’t develop symptoms can leave their isolation 10 days after their PCR test, as long as they did not develop any symptoms.

What about close contacts who aren’t fully vaccinated?

People who aren’t fully vaccinated have to get a PCR test and restrict their movements, even if they have no symptoms of Covid.

They will not be given the option to do the antigen tests. A contact tracer will phone them to arrange the PCR.

People with a weak immune system may need to get a PCR test even if they are fully vaccinated.

What if you had Covid before and aren’t vaccinated?

People who tested positive on a PCR in the previous two weeks do not need to do another test. They must self-isolate until 10 days after their first positive result.

Those who tested positive more than two weeks ago but less than nine months ago do not need to do another test or restrict their movements. They are considered to have immunity against Covid-19

People who tested positive more than nine months ago are no longer considered immune and will have to follow the general advice for close contacts listed above, which vary depending on whether they are vaccinated and on whether they have symptoms.

Why has there been controversy around antigen tests?

Unlike PCR tests, which are carried out in a lab and can take up to 48 hours to give a result, antigen tests are very quick, usually giving a result within 15 minutes.

However, they are not as accurate – particularly for those without symptoms.

Prominent members of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) have previously dismissed using the method and modelling expert Professor Philip Nolan even compared the tests to “snake oil” in May.

Nolan’s comments were described as unhelpful by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly who said antigen testing is a part of Government policy when it comes to reopening society.  

Earlier this year, an expert group recommended that the self-administered tests should be rolled out across a number of settings.

The group added that authorities should “educate and engage the public with respect to all aspects of rapid tests”.

In recent weeks NPHET said cited the high incidence of Covid-19 in the community in saying that the HSE should implement a programme of antigen testing, followed by PCR confirmation, for fully vaccinated people who are deemed to be close contacts but who have no symptoms.

Wider roll-out

The Taoiseach said that the Government is considering a wider roll out of antigen test kits as part of an effort to develop a culture of self-testing.

“We should develop a culture of self-testing and that would be regular and that would be something that people would do in the right circumstances, with the right advice,” Michaél Martin said.

“There will be a communications campaign around the proper use of antigen tests because the expert review group did ascertain there is a need for proper advice for the utilisation of such tests as a supplement to PCR,” he added.

Martin said that antigen testing will be a “further weapon” in the Government’s armoury to deal with the current wave of Covid.

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28 Comments
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    Mute Brian Clancy
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:06 PM

    It’s none of your business who calls to my house, try tackling the root of the problem

    437
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    Mute PC
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:11 PM

    @Brian Clancy: Casedemic https://youtu.be/FU3OibcindQ

    51
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    Mute Cecil Orr
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:13 PM

    @Brian Clancy: The leader of the selfish group. The “I’m all right Jack” syndrome.

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    Mute PC
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:13 PM

    @PC: Test, test, test. Case, case, case. Scare, scare, scare. The death rate has flatlined and the government insist on shutting down the country for a asymptomatic cases in the under 45s. This is bull.

    145
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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:20 PM

    @PC: if cases go up then inevitably deaths will follow. You can’t die from it unless you’ve been a case. Eventually it will get to vulnerable and or elderly people and some will die. Case rates are a good indication of reproductive rates and forthcoming deaths.

    52
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    Mute NotMyIreland
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:32 PM

    @GrumpyAulFella: In a nursing home in wexford again, it has already gotten to older more vulnerable people

    29
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    Mute Tom Harpur Photography
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:39 PM

    @Brian Clancy: root of the problem been the selling off alcohol in pubs restaurants and off licence and supermarkets

    27
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    Mute Martin Woods
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    Aug 18th 2020, 9:08 PM

    @Tom Harpur Photography: why Tom are they drinking it in the meat factories ?

    65
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    Mute The only INFP in Ireland
    Favourite The only INFP in Ireland
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    Aug 18th 2020, 9:19 PM

    @Martin Woods: House parties..

    17
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    Mute seamus toomey
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    Aug 18th 2020, 10:26 PM

    @Cecil Orr: explain how it’s ok for weddings with 50 guests to still go ahead then

    32
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    Mute seamus toomey
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    Aug 18th 2020, 10:27 PM

    @Tom Harpur Photography: I thought the root of the problem was the meat factories and poor conditions

    24
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    Mute CarlAnne Greene
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:35 PM

    Can’t have more than 6 in my house but can eat out alongside 50 strangers in pub/restaurant. Can’t watch a game but can play it, can send kids to school but try stay home from work, put kids on a school bus ( from ty -6thyr are 16-19yrs old) but not public transport etc…it all doesn’t make a lot of sense

    283
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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Aug 18th 2020, 9:43 PM

    @CarlAnne Greene: theres a lot of mixed messaging for sure – they have lost control of the messaging and lost the support of a lot of decent people who from the very. outset abided by. strict rules but have had to watch as the. ‘authorities’ failed to get to grip with travellers. from Italy etc – failed to quaratine nursing homes. effectively , failed to get to grip with meat factory outbreaks , failed to tackle the direct provision centre. problem but are now all in. knots about pubs / schools / house parties and trying to implement pretty ineffective measures if the 3 county checkpoints are anything to go by – beyond farcical – govt need to grab bull by. horns and start asking why 6 months in we are still too slow on testing tracking and tracing effectively – and why in the name of jaysus are we still only talking about random testing in airports from NEXT WEEK – complete horseshit

    129
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    Mute seamus toomey
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    Aug 18th 2020, 10:29 PM

    @Dave Hammond: they won’t ask those very valid questions because if they did someone would be held accountable

    40
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    Mute Pat Quinn
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:35 PM

    So I can go to a wedding indoors with 50 people but I can’t have a bbq in the garden with 6 ??

    158
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    Mute Marie Broomfield
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:46 PM

    @Pat Quinn: you can

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    Mute Green Lentils
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    Aug 18th 2020, 9:20 PM

    @Marie Broomfield: haha

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    Mute Badger the witness
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:24 PM

    No more than 6 people in your garden, no more than 15 for outdoor gatherings.. Not sure on the maths there.

    125
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    Mute seamus toomey
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    Aug 18th 2020, 10:30 PM

    @Badger the witness: getting married

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    Mute Newto2016
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:56 PM

    Please. If I want to have my family over for Sunday dinner, I will.

    117
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    Mute Green Lentils
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    Aug 18th 2020, 10:01 PM

    @Newto2016: I’m delighted I don’t have to ask mine over!!

    50
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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Aug 19th 2020, 9:01 AM

    @Newto2016: just redo your marriage vows

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Aug 19th 2020, 9:03 AM

    @Newto2016: just redo your marriage vows and you can invite your friends over too.

    1
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    Mute Vladimir Macro
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    Aug 18th 2020, 9:02 PM

    So you can enter a shopping centre with hundreds of people once you are wearing a mask but you cant enter a garden of any size with more than 6 people, whilst wearing a mask.

    This is not science, it’s worse, there is no logic to this

    Do they just not want us to meet up to speak about what’s going on???

    146
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    Mute Green Lentils
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    Aug 18th 2020, 9:22 PM

    @Vladimir Macro: yes that’s it. They’re outside your house with the chip they’ll be stapling into your skull in about 10….9….8…

    18
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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:10 PM

    Bringing in unenforceable restrictions, with the strict message of “please don’t do that” is not what is needed right now. County lockdowns are a bit nonsensical as well when you look at a map. Why not go with a radial lockdown from the epicenter of the cluster?

    98
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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:21 PM

    @Logan Shepherd: get a lot of compasses out and draw invisible circles around cluster sites? You’re joking right.

    31
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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:24 PM

    @GrumpyAulFella: It makes more sense than locking down entire counties. It’s the same principle as the radius of freedom we were granted during the main lockdown.

    54
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    Mute Paul
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:16 PM

    Does that go for exploited workers in Irish meat plants or the overcrowded conditions they are forced to live in.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:22 PM

    @Paul: new measures have been brought in to control that. Too late for the current outbreak but should work going forward.

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    Mute Paul
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    Aug 18th 2020, 10:08 PM

    @GrumpyAulFella: I don’t believe you, show me the proof, also too little too late for the people of Kildare, Laois and Offaly who had to restrict their movements for 2 weeks because of these meat plants owners bringing in sick workers with out any sick pay with Covid, exploiting them by putting them in cramped conditions to live now a lot of people are suffering mentally because of this, oh yeh you have 0 followers and your following 0 people you’re most likely a bot.

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    Mute seamus toomey
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    Aug 18th 2020, 10:30 PM

    @GrumpyAulFella:

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    Mute Sinead Merrigan
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    Aug 18th 2020, 10:43 PM

    @Paul: there is absolutely no proof that factories have purpously brought sick people into work but will agree that work conditions have significantly contributed.

    6
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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Aug 18th 2020, 10:53 PM

    @Paul: you’ve 30 followers. Well done. Do you need 30 to be a human and not a bot? I’ve heard it all now.

    4
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    Mute ianglen
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:38 PM

    My 89 year old uncle tasted his first pulled pint in nearly 6 months last week, poor man cried.
    Now looks like he will be cocooning again. Cruel..

    93
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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:53 PM

    @ianglen: shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve been bringing the aul man down to his local once every two weeks. We get a bit of grub and 4 pints, watch a bit of ball, no problem. Pub layout is great and people are kept apart. It’s ultimately people’s own decision as to what harm they want to expose themselves to. Older people will complain if they are advised to stay in and then complain if they go out and catch it in a pub. Ultimately the individual decides. If the aul man wants a pint then I’ll bring him for one and we’ll mind ourselves.

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    Mute Eamo
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:56 PM

    @ianglen: was it flat?

    17
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    Mute Oracle Steve
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    Aug 18th 2020, 9:36 PM

    They can all phukk right off. They’ve lost me with their asinine decisions. The 2KM rule was $tup|d enough but allowing indoor weddings but nobody in an 80,000 person stadium.

    You are the weakest link and I’m ignoring everything you ask. You’ve lost my respect

    82
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    Mute Mick Costello
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:24 PM

    Joke these are pushing for a reaction and I’d say they are getting close

    50
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    Mute Bennett blaster
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:18 PM

    Mass is ok though, no enforcement of masks in public places. Pain in me ding dong with their nonsense

    72
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    Mute Aunties
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    Aug 18th 2020, 10:52 PM

    Fred n Rosemary West had 6 in their garden

    32
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    Mute Marie Louise Ryan
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    Aug 18th 2020, 11:37 PM

    @Aunties: omg hahaha

    8
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    Mute Marie Broomfield
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:44 PM

    Some people are purposeless confused! How much clearer does it have to be, no more than 6 people from outside the home and from no more than 3 household! What’s confusing?

    36
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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:55 PM

    @Marie Broomfield: they need to be nanny’d.

    23
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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:57 PM

    @Marie Broomfield: You’re post ..

    15
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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Aug 18th 2020, 9:05 PM

    @Logan Shepherd: *Your. Smartarsery withdrawn ..

    11
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    Mute Monster Munch
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:20 PM

    The Guards will be busy

    29
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    Mute De Rossi
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    Aug 18th 2020, 11:53 PM

    @Monster Munch: will they? Genuine question… Is it advisory or law?

    8
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    Mute Joan Featherstone
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    Aug 19th 2020, 6:53 AM

    @De Rossi: I think advisory at the moment but the attorney general is getting involved so that will most likely change!

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    Mute De Rossi
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    Aug 19th 2020, 9:20 AM

    @Joan Featherstone: Thanks Joan. I dont know if the buy in from the public will be there if this is only advisory.

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    Mute Real Online Career
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    Aug 18th 2020, 9:48 PM

    Bring back Phrase one, I would rather be isolated from the people crying that they can’t go to pub.

    26
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    Mute Joan Featherstone
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    Aug 19th 2020, 6:54 AM

    @Real Online Career: nothing to stop you isolating yourself?

    9
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    Mute Robert Clifford
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    Aug 18th 2020, 8:24 PM

    Complete spoofer.

    32
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    Mute Isabel Oliveira
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    Aug 19th 2020, 12:02 AM

    Get lost

    7
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    Mute Pádraig Ó Pravda
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    Aug 19th 2020, 7:15 AM

    NPHET – Nazi Party Hacks Exercising Tyranny

    8
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Aug 19th 2020, 10:13 AM

    Unless you’re getting married, or having a mass.

    2
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