Workers in meat plants should be tested for COVID-19 every week using rapid antigen testing, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has advised.

Meat processing plants have experienced a "considerable" number of COVID-19 outbreaks worldwide, including in Ireland. A recent analysis by HIQA noted that outbreaks in these plants were associated with approximately 3,000 cases of COVID-19 here.

The results of that analysis also showed that those working in meat processing plants are at a higher risk of COVID-19 than the general population. To address this risk, certain measures were introduced, including the testing of workers every month with PCR tests.

HIQA examined what impact rapid antigen testing could have on the transmission risk within these plants. It used modeling to assess the impact they could have when used in addition to PCR testing, and as an alternative to the currently monthly testing.

It found that the preferred testing strategy was to use rapid antigen testing once a week. Where a positive test was detected, this should then be confirmed with a PCR test.

"This scenario increased the detection of cases, reduced the number of days of infectious individuals being in a plant, and reduced the overall cost relative to the current practice of monthly PCR testing," HIQA said.

According to Dr Conor Teljeur, HIQA's chief scientist, the higher risk of COVID associated with transmission in meat processing plants is "multifactorial".

"As with other high-risk settings, contributing environmental issues can include the reduced ability to social distance, cold air, limited ventilation and loud work spaces. In addition, a number of non-environmental risk factors exist for the sector, such as shared accommodation, low wages and access to support payments," he explained.

He said that HIQA has advised the HSE of the benefits of weekly rapid antigen testing in meat plants.

However, he also suggested that before monthly PCR tests are discontinued, further evaluation is needed "to ensure this strategy is both acceptable to relevant stakeholders and is implementable within the individual plants".

He added that HIQA "would favour a stepwise transition" to frequent rapid antigen testing, ensuring that this method was successfully deployed before PCR testing would be halted.