Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew has said the additional funding and extra protection measures announced for residential and care homes will help ease the concerns of families but said full testing is required across all care homes. 

Colm Gildernew said: 

“The finding package announced by the health minister to help tackle COVID-19 in residential and care homes and keep residents and staff safe is welcome. 

“New precautions and procedures will also be put in place which will see an increase in testing and new measures around patients who have been discharged from hospital into care settings. 

“These are measures we have been calling on the health minister to introduce in order to protect those in care homes. 

“While these measures will go some way to addressing the fears and concerns of families who have loved ones in residential and care homes, more is needed.

“In order to get a full picture of the scale of COVID-19 in care homes then proper provision of testing of all residents and staff needs to be carried out. 

“Those living and working in care homes are among the most vulnerable in our society to COVID-19 and we must make sure we are doing all we can to protect them.”