Doctor accuses health department of curb on swine flu swabs

A DOCTOR has accused the Department of Health of restricting the availability of special swabs to test patients for swine flu.

Dr Willie Christopher, a GP in Mallow, Co Cork, said he was only given eight swabs and had to do battle with the health authority to get more.

The department’s chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, had claimed that laboratory facilities were coming under pressure as a result of demands from patients that their GPs carry out a blood test to confirm they have the flu.