PEOPLE are being urged not to go to the emergency department of Letterkenny hospital unless absolutely necessary.

“There is ongoing pressure on bed availability in the hospital and we regret that many patients are currently experiencing long waiting times to be admitted from the ED to an acute bed in the hospital.

“We are committed to treating everyone who presents at our ED but we do so strictly in order of medical priority and apologise for the long wait times.

“Given the volume of patients attending the emergency department, the hospital is asking the public to contact their GP during normal surgery hours or the NoWDOC GP Out of Hours service in the first instance if their health problem is not urgent.

“As part of the hospital’s Covid-19 measures, we ask that patients wait in the ED alone to help maintain social distancing. A companion will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances. This is to minimise the risk of infection and to keep everyone safe. We remind patients to please wear a face covering/mask when in the ED and to comply with any Covid-19 screening processes.”