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ANTIGEN TESTS SHOULD be free to members of the public, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said.
The Journal reported this morning that the Irish Pharmacy Union and the HSE have entered preliminary talks about the distribution of antigen tests to the wider public.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said this week that he wants to “develop a culture of self-testing” which would mean regular testing by members of the public.
As the Government ramps up use of the rapid testing method, it is understood it is currently assessing how best to distribute antigen tests to the wider public.
While all options are understood to be under consideration, senior sources have said that supplying antigen tests to the public through pharmacies “is the way to go”.
In a statement to The Journal, the IPU confirmed that it has had “preliminary discussions” with the HSE regarding the role of pharmacies in antigen testing.
If such a system was rolled out in Ireland, it is not yet clear if the tests would be free of charge, with one government source stating that there could be a “nominal fee” for the items.
Speaking today at her party’s Ard Fhéis, McDonald said:
We have been talking about antigen tests for what seems like forever, so I think it is a good move that they are now rolling it out but I think to make it truly accessible I think it has to be free to people.
She said she absolutely accepts that antigen testing “is not a silver bullet”, stating it needs to be deployed in conjunction with other measures.
The UK model of self-testing is believed to be one that is being looked at by officials.
Rapid lateral flow test kits can be sent to your home in the UK if you order a test through the government’s website.
Members of the public can also pick up two packs of seven rapid tests from their local pharmacy.
By giving the pharmacy a ‘collect code’, a person can pick up the tests, the NHS website states.
McDonald said in Northern Ireland, free antigen tests are sent to your home.
“We could do worse than to mirror what is happening in the six counties,” she said.
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Piece of shit coward. Sits in his car, shoots from his car, does a legger in his car and when he was low on fuel he pulls into a petrol station.
Happens every day in parts of America, and you don’t hear of it because the majority of them are black
Supernova – are you saying black people commit the most shootings or reports aren’t newsworthy because it’s a picture we’ve seen thousands of times?
Most of the victims are black actually but does the race matter? A crime is a crime is a crime.
This is being portrayed as a mad man shooting but it seems like more of a gangland style deal.
Drivebys happen a lot in the US. There were 733 in 2014 alone with 154 deaths.
Yeah but I’m saying if the individual was black I don’t think it would have been a big a news story I’m afraid. If a white man gets killed all hell breaks loose.
Hang on, are you saying when a black man gets killed all hell *doesn’t* break loose?
Have you been watching the news coming out of the states for the last year or so?
I dunno how this has gone international? what about all the drive bys that happen in Compton?
If it was in America this happened you would have quadruple the comments on this story.
…and blaming the NRA.
You’d have quadruple the comments if it was the US because it happens every other week in the US, often happens to kids, and it’s once in a blue moon in other countries. The last one in Germany was 2010, we’ve had a dozen HUGE ones in the US since then.
Perfectly fair game to blame the NRA since they are the second most powerful lobby group in the US, and oppose even moderate gun regulations like preventing civilians from owning military grade weapons, and preventing people from the terrorist watch list or the mentally ill buying guns. You’ll notice we, who have one of the top 5 most conservative gun regs in the world, have never had a mass shooting, and the UK has not had one since the 70s when it adopted very similar rules.
Saadi news but why is it being reported here? We have shootings all the time between rival gangs, does that make news in Germany or is there something more to this?
hopefully it was Enda and Angela
Idiot of the highest order!
Tis an ill wind that blows through Bad Windsheim this morning.
when will the killing end. we need to get rid of guns altogether.
No, don’t be ridiculous. Then Billy the Kid and the ‘Hole in the Ground Gang’, not to mention the most evil German of all time, Kaiser Wilhelm II, will have a free reign.
his getaway car low on fuel. not very Mr Brooks was he.
So so sad. This senseless violence needs to stop.
Kaiser Wilhelm II was quite a decent guy. Just a bit egotistical I suppose. Britain vilified him in the Great War for propaganda purposes, that’s all.
@Ashley Brown. He also must have thought of other’s welfare as well,, for he brought in the first European pension and welfare programs,albeit at the behest of Chancellor Otto Von Bismark, without which we might still be fighting for them even now.
—”Social programs in Germany began in the 1880s.
“In November 1881, at the direction of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm I, issued a decree stating, “those who are disabled from work by age and invalidity have a well-grounded claim to care from the state.”
have your say