The introduction of Covid vaccination certs for visitors to nursing homes will make no difference according to the director of a Tipperary facility.
From today visitors will be required to show a Covid vaccination certificate before entering the premises.
Other proof of immunity would also be acceptable.
Speaking on Tipp Today earlier Sandra Farrell of Patterson’s Nursing Home in Roscrea was unconvinced of the benefits.
“It’s not going to make a difference. I will always go back to saying Antigen testing should be rolled out in the nursing homes and we should be testing our staff and visitors at least twice a week.
“I just can’t understand why its taking so long to listen to the likes of myself as a nursing home provider. We know what we need on the ground – me asking for someone’s Covid cert will not stop the spread of Covid.
Sandra Farrell also said some smaller facilities are closing due to the pressure of having to cope with the Covid pandemic.
“At the moment I have 3 or 4 staff out. They have sniffles, they have a cold – they don’t have Covid but the minute they ring and tell me I have to say stay at home.
“The retention of staff within the nursing home in the community sector is very hard – people are leaving because of the stress, they’re also going to public jobs within the HSE.
“And managers are walking away from the nursing homes. Smaller nursing homes are actually closing down because of the pressures.”
