A report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) in July on the impact of the pandemic on nursing homes in Ireland found that the regulations governing nursing homes are outdated and must be revised to make them fit for purpose. A total of 51 nursing homes around the country are currently dealing with an outbreak of the virusMost nursing home residents are elderly, which may explain why 63% of Covid-19 deaths in the Republic occurred in nursing homes and other long-term care settings. Despite a long history of non-compliance with health and safety regulations and being the subject of repeated investigations, the home’s registration certificate was only cancelled last week. All but one of the 24 residents remaining at the nursing home tested positive for coronavirus. Gerry Kennedy, whose 77-year-old brother Sean died of Covid-19 at the home on November 13, put it best, when speaking to the Irish Examiner.

Source: Irish Examiner November 26, 2020 12:37 UTC