Written answers

Wednesday, 16 December 2020

Department of Education and Skills

Covid-19 Pandemic

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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197. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if children who have siblings that are at very high risk of Covid-19 can be facilitated with remote learning. [44049/20]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic the Government has identified as an objective that all students should return to education as normal to the fullest extent possible, while minimising the risks from a public health perspective. Schools have put significant measures in place to reduce the risk of coronavirus being transmitted to/within the school and significant funding has been provided to support schools in this respect. The evidence to date from a public health perspective is that schools are safe. The approach to Covid-19 in schools is led by the advice and guidance of the HSE Public Health.

The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has issued specific advice about children attending school in the context of covid-19. This advice covers both children with underlying medical conditions and children living with family members with underlying conditions. For all children, care should continue to be taken to reduce transmission through the measures promoted by HPSC.

The advice outlines the view of public health that given current knowledge about COVID-19 disease in children, it is difficult to justify cocooning in most children with underlying conditions. Long-term cocooning of children with complex medical needs is likely to adversely affect them and may outweigh the potential risk of infection.

The HPSC advice goes on to advise that children with immediate family members, including parents, in both the ‘high risk’ and ‘very high risk’ categories can return to school and it is important for the child’s overall well-being. This is consistent with public health advice internationally in relation to at-risk family members. The priority is that the household continues to follow all current advice on how to minimise the risk of coronavirus, through regular hand washing, etc.

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