All Residents Now Covid-Free At Droimnín Nursing Home

Monday, 1 February 2021 18:45

The facility has been battling an outbreak since New Year's Eve.

All residents at a Laois nursing home - hit with covid outbreak - are now virus-free.

18 of the 65 residents of Droimnín Nursing Home in Stradbally have died following the outbreak, which emerged on New Year's Eve.

Most of the 36 staff who also contracted the virus are now back to work.

CEO of Brookhaven Healthcare Group, which runs the facility, Gearóid Brennan says it's been a tough time for residents, who've been isolated in their rooms for weeks:

TDs have been told a critical window was missed by not vaccinating all nursing home residents immediately after the vaccine became available.

Nursing Homes Ireland has told an Oireachtas committee just 10 per cent of the first 77,000 vaccinations were given to nursing home residents and staff.

That's despite them being top of the priority list just ahead of healthcare workers.

There are currently 193 Covid outbreaks in nursing homes - with the HSE's Clinical Lead for Older Persons Dr. Siobhan Kennelly saying there are still problems in the system: