IMO rules out self-referrals for Covid-19 testing as GPs see ‘surge’ in children being assessed

GP practices across the country are seeing a 'surge' in children being referred for Covid-19 assessment.

GP practices across the country are seeing a 'surge' in children being referred for Covid-19 assessment, according to the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), which also ruled out a more open referral system for Covid-19 testing to ease pressure on GPs.

Chairman of the IMO GP Committee, Dr Denis McCauley, said the rise in children being referred with viral illnesses this week was expected following the reopening of schools.

“Our GP members right across the country are reporting a very significant increase in requests from parents for assessments of their children for possible Covid-19,” Dr McCauley said.

In his own practice in Co Donegal Dr McCauley said that 70% of children being referred for assessment on Monday did not need to get tested for Covid-19 but he urged parents to continue being proactive and to contact their GP as soon as symptoms develop.

Many children are presenting with colds, sore throats, and upper respiratory infections rather than Covid-19.

Parents with concerns about Covid-19, he said, should focus on fever, sudden onset of cough or a child who is generally unwell with loss of taste or smell .

“We want families to call us because if there is a Covid case we want to isolate it as soon as possible. Families are doing what we want them to do and are being socially conscious,” he said.

“We would say don’t wait three days but to call early because we want to assess these cases quickly so that we can isolate those that we need to,” he added.

Responding to concerns on social media that Covid referrals were swamping GPs, Dr McCauley dismissed suggestions that a more open system, where patients could self-refer for Covid testing, could help and said it would instead present a “dangerous nightmare”.

“Without a GP assessment the public health advice would not be relayed, you will potentially miss serious non-Covid illnesses, and if there was open access to tests it would collapse the testing capacity that is there,” Dr McCauley said.

The Donegal GP also pointed to France, where an open testing system was described as chaotic and a waste of money by epidemiologist Dr Catherine Hill this week because the wrong people were getting tested.

“You need some arbitrator to decide who should go for a test and GPs are ideally placed for that,” he said, adding that dealing directly with a GP was likely to increase compliance on public health advice, such as the need to self-isolate or restrict movements.

Current plans would be kept under review and the flu vaccination programme would help to reduce the number of people presenting at GP surgeries, he said.