Public urged to contact GP with Covid-19 symptoms amid reports of delayed presentation
A leading GP is urging anyone with mild cold or flu symptoms to contact their doctor.
There are concerns people are not coming forward early enough.
Dr Nuala O' Connor, clinical lead on Covid-19 and Antibiotic Resistance says even very mild symptoms need to be recorded.
Dr O'Connor says: "If you feel you are coming down with anything at all. Please take yourself out of circulation.
"If you were meant to meet friends for dinner, if you were meant to go to a sporting event, whatever it was, please do not go.
"Take yourself out of circulation and contact your GP."
Yes numbers concerning. Ireland 🇮🇪 must learn to live responsibly with Covid. Let’s all enjoy our freedom safely #SocialDistancing #facemasks #handwashing @ICGPnews https://t.co/2pBaZpfY0W
— Nuala O Connor (@DrNuala) July 11, 2020
Dr O'Connor's comments follow the launch of the HSE's new Covid-19 tracker app.
It has already started to detect new cases of Coronavirus.
Users are asked to check in about how they are feeling and if they have any symptoms.
Dr O'Connor says the app is working and asked the public to download it.
"Already it is working and it is picking up cases," she says, "Anyone out there who hasn't, we'd encourage you to please download the app. It's another way to protect you, your family and your circle of friends."
Since yesterday the app has been downloaded more than 1m times.
As of midnight on July 11, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has been notified of 17 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
There is now a total of 25,628 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
