Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1097. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide the definition of a close contact for the purposes of Covid-19 tracing in primary and secondary schools; if this definition used by the HSE is in line with WHO and ECDC guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32325/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has published Guidance for Educational Settings relating to the management of Covid-19 in school settings.

This guidance, which includes protocols relating to the management of close contacts, is available at .

This guidance defines a close contact as any individual who has had greater than 15 minutes face-to-face (less than 2 meters distance) contact with a case, in any setting.

This definition has been developed with reference to European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. The actual identification of close contacts within schools follows a Public Health Risk Assessment.

The Deputy may wish to note that schools must have a Covid-19 Response Plan and a Covid policy in place. Up-to-date Government advice and resources for schools, parents and students in the context of COVID-19, including advice on Covid-19 planning is published at .

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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1098. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to using field interviewers for contact tracing in the battle against Covid-19 given their unique training and interview skills. [32347/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.