Written answers

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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2428. To ask the Minister for Health the criteria for determining a close contact in the case of a person who travelled on an airplane and then tests positive for Covid-19; the distance other passengers would have to be to the source of transmission on the plane in order to be deemed a close contact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37786/21]

Photo of Cian O'CallaghanCian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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2532. To ask the Minister for Health if all persons who travelled on the same flight as a person that has Covid-19 are deemed close contacts; the level of proximity used to determine this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38002/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 2428 and 2532 together.

Close contact guidance is kept under continuing review by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre and is updated and published on its website on a regular basis. The current definition of a close contact, as described in the guidance available atwww.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/contacttracingguidance/, includes a close contact as being "Passengers on an aircraft sitting within two seats (in any direction) of the case, travel companions or persons providing care, and crew members serving in the section of the aircraft where the index case was seated." The guidance also outlines that “contact needs to have occurred during the infectious period”. In addition, “if severity of symptoms or movement of the case indicate more extensive exposure, passengers seated in the entire section or all passengers on the aircraft may be considered close contacts”. However, there are different enhanced contact tracing arrangements which apply in relation to investigation of confirmed or suspected cases involving variants of concern, details of which are available at www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/sars-cov-2variantsofconcern/.

The Deputy is advised that the management of close contacts and particularly those relating to variants of concern can change rapidly and the guidance may therefore change relatively frequently and is updated accordingly.

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