The HSE is seeking to develop a system that would allow people to upload the results of rapid antigen Covid-19 tests and then book PCR tests to confirm any positive results.

Participants in antigen testing pilot programmes are being asked to record their results manually. However, the HSE’s head of testing and tracing, Niamh O’Beirne, said this method would prove “difficult” if antigen testing was rolled out more broadly, and that a more accessible platform would be needed.

“We’re looking to build an app to record antigen test results, or an online platform to do the same,” she said, adding that the HSE was in discussions with software developers about the requirements needed for such a platform.

Hospital Report

Such a system would allow the HSE to contact those with a positive antigen test result to arrange a booking for PCR testing. Initial discussions examined whether the HSE’s contact tracing app could be adapted to include this function, but this had now been discounted, Ms O’Beirne said.

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Antigen tests, which are cheaper and return results in about 30 minutes, are available from some shops and pharmacies but are not regarded as being as accurate as PCR tests, which are used in HSE test centres. Health officials have expressed concern about antigen tests returning false negatives and not picking up asymptomatic infections.

Covid numbers

A further 1,522 cases of Covid-19 were reported on Monday, with the number of people being treated in hospital for the disease rising to 217 (up nine since Sunday), of which 34 are in intensive care (up three).

Nphet on Monday said there had been 20,000 cases reported in the past fortnight, with 83 per cent of these among unvaccinated people.

Sunday’s scheduled All-Ireland football semi-final between Kerry and Tyrone has been moved back to Saturday week, August 21st, because of a Covid-19 outbreak among the Tyrone panel.