Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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921. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the case of a school (details supplied) in which there have been six confirmed cases of Covid-19 with children from the same classes informed to attend school; and if she will provide the Covid-19 guidelines in national schools. [18197/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The response to confirmed cases or outbreaks of COVID-19 in the community or in a school is the responsibility of, and will be led and managed by, Public Health HSE. My Department has confirmed with Public Health that the enhanced Public Health schools teams are available to fully support schools, with full contact tracing and bulk fast-track testing provided within the school setting.

In all instances where COVID-19 is positively confirmed in a school age child in community testing (referred by G.P) or as part of close contact testing in the community, Public Health are immediately notified and a Public Health Risk Assessment(PHRA) is initiated with the school by local HSE public health Schools Teams.

The findings of the Public Health Risk Assessment (PHRA), which is undertaken by a Public Health Doctor, where a confirmed case has attended school whilst infectious, assesses many different aspects of disease transmission as laid out in the Schools Pathway document and this determines the identification of close contacts and the course of action a school is required to take. This enables the most accurate and effective determination of the relevant information allowing tailored, measured protection and prevention of Covid-19 in schools.