Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. As he is aware, the management of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in schools is led by the HSE's departments of public health. The Department of Education and Skills does not provide guidance of a clinical or medical nature. The contact tracing teams are led by public health professionals. The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre, HPSC, has published a definition of a close contact in an educational setting, which was communicated to all schools and their partners in education. I will outline that definition.

In accordance with current Health Protection Surveillance Centre guidelines, a clinical public health risk assessment will be undertaken for all educational settings where a confirmed case has attended whilst infectious. A public health risk assessment defines a close contact as any person who has had face-to-face contact within less than 1 m of a confirmed case of Covid-19 for more than 15 minutes in a school day, or any person who has been in contact between 1 m and 2 m of a confirmed case of Covid-19 for more than 15 minutes in a school day. Other mitigating measures including face coverings, pods, ventilation, infection prevention and control measures or uncertain compliance with other mitigating measures are also considered. Contacts are assessed from contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19 during the infectious period, 48 hours before the onset of symptoms if symptomatic or 24 hours before the test for Covid-19 was taken for those who are asymptomatic.

This definition is based on international public health guidance. It is the view of the HSE's departments of public health that the evidence available to date shows that schools are proving to be safe spaces for children and their staff.

The department of public health has also facilitated webinars for school leaders on this and other public health messages. Furthermore, dedicated school teams have been enhanced to provide specific and dedicated supports to schools where there is a confirmed case of Covid-19.

The Department will continue to work closely with all the education partners and the public health system in order that schools can continue to be supported during this very challenging time.

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