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The HSE is facing a major challenge in delivering the Government’s plan to test over 30,000 meat and dairy factory workers for COVID-19 once a week.
Concerns are increasing as some workers in Kildare Chilling are understood to still be waiting on tests over 10 days after swabs were first taken.
This falls well short of the three-day turnaround time stated to meat and dairy workers in HSE documents seen by this newspaper. Meat Industry Ireland has insisted that a 24-hour testing turnaround is critical to keep the food chain moving.
The Health and Safety Authority ramped up unannounced inspections at some meat plants this week.
In addition, face masks will become mandatory in marts from Monday 24 August.
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