The Roscommon village of Lecarrow is the first in Ireland to trial weekly rapid COVID-19 screening as part of the Health Passport Ireland pilot programme.
The ROQU Group has completed a successful community rapid testing programme for COVID-19 involving 150 residents over a six-week period.
Health Passport Ireland, engineered in Ireland by ROQU Group, combines the latest digital technologies with validated COVID-19 testing solutions.
The pilot programme in Lecarrow was conducted on a voluntary basis, with a clinical team present to administer weekly tests at a drive-through facility on the grounds of the local church.
The technology enabled residents to receive their test results securely and privately within 15 minutes via their Health Passport app, which was followed by a phone call from the on-site doctor.
150 people from the village and surrounding areas participated, and in total, over 1,000 rapid tests were carried out during the trial period with seven positive cases detected who showed no symptoms and would have otherwise not been tested.
The system hopes that by having a positive case identified has meant that people can isolate and seek medical help at an early stage and prevent transmission.
Launched in August, the Health Passport Ireland pilot trial is taking place across a wide range of real-world settings including schools, nursing homes, hospitals, hotels and businesses, and is being provided at no cost.
