The 40 bed modular unit at Tipperary University Hospital has been described as a lifesaver.
The unit at the Clonmel facility was officially opened by Taoiseach Micheál Martin yesterday afternoon despite having been brought into service in March of last year.
CEO of Tipperary University Maria Barry said the opening of the modular unit couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time:
“The pandemic rolled in on March 2020, we were able to open our first 20 beds in March 2020 and opened the additional 20 beds in April 2020.
“It has been a lifesaver, we’ve been using it as our admissions unit for all patients that are coming through on the covid pathway.
“It allows us to isolate all patients until we know whether they are covid positive or not, if they are covid positive they stay in the unit, if they are covid negative then they come across to the main hospital.
“Without it, the hospital would’ve failed really in relation to the management of covid-19.”