Following its meeting of 14 May, NPHET recommended the establishment of an Expert Panel on Nursing Homes, to examine the complex issues surrounding the management of Covid-19 among this particularly vulnerable cohort.

The purpose of the Panel is to examine the national and international responses to the Covid-19 crisis, and to examine the emerging best practice. Covid-19 is a new disease which can present atypically in the frail elderly and new evidence and best practice in its management are constantly emerging.

The Panel has been asked to make recommendations to the Minister for Health to ensure that all protective Covid-19 response measures are planned for, in light of the expected ongoing COVID-19 risk and impact for nursing homes over the next 6-18 months.

College Principal of UCD College Of Health and Agricultural Sciences, Professor Cecily Kelleher was appointed Chair of NPHET's Expert Panel on Nursing Homes.

Details of the group's terms of reference, membership, and meeting agendas and minutes are available on this Gov.ie website.