Covid Testing Guidlines
The HSE now recommend that if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, even mild ones.
- SELF-ISOLATE (STAY IN YOUR ROOM) until 48 hours after your symptoms are mostly or fully gone
- WEAR A FACE MASK if you have to be around other people (we recommend the FPP2 masks if possible)
- Do these even if you completed your first round of COVID-19 vaccination, had a booster, or had COVID-19 in the past.
- If you decide to test and you test positive for COVID-19 then you do need to isolate for 7 days.
These guidelines are a bit difficult because we know that COVID-19 doesn’t respond to antibiotics and knowing a patient has it does help guide us. We also all have loved ones who might be immune compromised and so for them knowing you have COVID and that you must stay away from them for a minimum of 7 days is important as well. However we can only recommend the current guidelines as below.
You no longer need a test if you are
- under 55 years of age with symptoms of COVID-19 and you are otherwise healthy
- age 55 or older and you are fully boosted, even if you have symptoms of COVID-19
So who should get tested?
You can get a PCR test if you have symptoms and you:
- are age 55 or older and have not had a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose
- HAVE A HIGH-RISK MEDICAL CONDITION
- HAVE A WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEM (IMMUNOCOMPROMISED)
- live in the same household as a person who has a weak immune system or provide support or care for them
- are pregnant
- are a healthcare worker
There are 2 types of free COVID-19 tests available online from the HSE:
- antigen tests (home test kits)
- PCR tests (done at a test centre and sent to a lab)
Please go to the website below to see about ordering tests.
Repeat Prescriptions
Request your repeat prescriptions below