Professor welcomes test, to be available soon, that shows if people are post-virus and clear to work

The new test, which will be available soon, is performed using a drop of blood, can be processed very quickly and can clear people to go back to work.

Kingston Mills, Professor of Experimental Immunology at Trinity College Dublin has said that while it was distressing to hear of the number of new cases and deaths from Covid-19, the rate of increase had slowed.

The measures put in place by the government are having an impact, he told Newstalk Breakfast.

Prof Kingston also welcomed a new test due to become available shortly that will determine if people who have come through the virus, but were not tested, are now clear.

The new test, which is performed using a drop of blood, can be processed very quickly and can clear people to go back to work. This will be especially beneficial for health care workers, he said.

Prof Kingston acknowledged that there had been shortages of testing kits, but this was inevitable he said as every country was competing for materials.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) was doing a great job in “getting on top of it”, he said, but there would be “other hitches along the way”.

Prof Kingston explained that the new test that should be available soon will allow people who were self-isolating, but had not been tested, to be cleared to return to work.

The test will show whether they have recovered from the virus and can return to work.

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