The HSE has paused the blanket testing of workers in meat factories for COVID-19.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that factory management has been told that serial testing will cease with immediate effect.

An email seen by this newspaper from the HSE to factories on Tuesday evening cites resource issues around testing and it is understood that testing has been suspended as the uptake in the general population for testing services has put pressure on the system.

The increased demand for testing in the general population has seen the serial testing of workers paused, Cormac Healy, director at Meat Industry Ireland, told the Irish Farmers Journal.

I would say 15,000 to 16,000 tests have been done

“We understand that three rounds of testing were completed in the three counties, Laois, Offaly and Kildare, in three successive weeks and almost one round of national testing has been completed.

“I would say 15,000 to 16,000 tests have been done and of the results back on 12,700 tests, the positive rate is 0.26%, which is an extremely good outcome. It shows that the measures and protocols are working and that there’s no major issue at this point in time, but that doesn’t mean there’s room for complacency.

Some 20,000 factory and food processing workers were to be tested each week, with 50,000 workers in the overall programme

“The focus and attention that has been on the meat sector, with such a comprehensive round of testing completed showing a low level of positives, answers some of the questions to the level of measures and the effectiveness of them,” he said.

The serial testing programme was launched last month by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin following a local lockdown in Laois, Offaly and Kildare.

Some 20,000 factory and food processing workers were to be tested each week, with 50,000 workers in the overall programme.

Medical sources close to NPHET previously told this newspaper that the HSE was facing a “tsunami” of tests from the programme and questioned the ability of the health service to deliver the results.

Matt Carthy of Sinn Féin called for the Government to provide the locations of confirmed cases

Factory sources told this newspaper that the HSE indicated there could be a new testing system put in place but details of a new system have yet to emerge. Matt Carthy of Sinn Féin called for the Government to provide the locations of confirmed cases.

With reporting from Amy Forde