Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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1104. To ask the Minister for Health if clarity will be provided to teachers who are in close contact with a student in their class who is diagnosed with Covid-19; and if they are deemed to be a close contact by the HSE that would require notification, a period of self-isolation and a test. [32831/20]

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 .

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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1105. To ask the Minister for Health if break and yard time is included for students to be considered a close contact (details supplied). [32837/20]

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.

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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1106. To ask the Minister for Health the most up-to-date definition of a close contact used within the school environment; and the details of changes and dates of changes to this definition. [32877/20]

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.