Photo: Gareth Chaney/CollinsGPs were swamped by patients asking for coronavirus tests today - causing the internal HSE electronic message system used for referrals to crash. Several GPs said they were unable to get referrals for patients through Healthlink ,the HSE online system. Today is the first day GPs can make direct referrals of patients for the coronavirus test after they are risk assessed over the phone. The referral is made through Healthlink an online system for GPs. After the electronic system became overwhelmed this morning GPs were informed by the HSE that they could email referrals for COVID tests .

Source: Irish Independent March 16, 2020 12:46 UTC