Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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511. To ask the Minister for Health the plans that are in progress in his Department through his engagement with NPHET, the HSE and the Department of Education to reduce the number of days that students, children and young adults in primary and secondary school that are close contacts of confirmed Covid-19 cases must isolate which is currently ten days (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45049/21]

Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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586. To ask the Minister for Health if he has plans to change the public health advice given to schools in respect of deemed close contacts of confirmed Covid-19 cases being obliged to restrict their movements and remain at home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44692/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Testing and contact tracing has been a key component of our response to the pandemic and has been fundamental to identifying the source and containing the spread of the virus. The role of testing and contact tracing, as part of the wider public health response, has been under ongoing review throughout the pandemic and will continue to be reviewed and amended in line with the epidemiological profile of the disease, its impact on healthcare utilisation and outcomes, and the vaccination status of the population.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has made a number of recommendations for the testing and tracing programme for the coming period, subject to an assessment of the impact of the return to education on the epidemiological profile of the disease.

I have approved a recommendation, for implementation in the coming days, focusing on children in early years and primary education settings to ensure that the education of the children of this country can continue uninterrupted to the greatest extent possible. The recommendations I have approved involve changes for children in childcare and primary education, discontinuing automatic contact tracing of close contacts, discontinuing testing of asymptomatic close contacts and a removal of the requirement for close contacts to self-isolate. It remains important that children who are symptomatic should continue to rapidly self-isolate and not attend school or socialise until 48 hours after resolution of symptoms.

NPHET has advised that any further potential changes to our testing and tracing programme will be subject to ongoing assessment of the prevailing epidemiological conditions, and I will give them consideration at the appropriate time.

Ensuring the availability of testing and tracing services in school settings remains a priority as the school year continues. It is important to note that these changes have not yet come in to effect and are subject to an assessment of the impact of the return to education on the epidemiological profile of the disease. It remains important that testing and contact tracing is carried out in line with currently agreed protocols for these activities within the HSE. The advise and guidance that currently applies continues to be made available on the HSE website.

Testing and contact tracing has been a key component of our response to the pandemic and has been fundamental to identifying the source and containing the spread of the virus. The role of testing and contact tracing, as part of the wider public health response, has been under ongoing review throughout the pandemic and will continue to be reviewed and amended in line with the epidemiological profile of the disease, its impact on healthcare utilisation and outcomes, and the vaccination status of the population.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has made a number of recommendations for the testing and tracing programme for the coming period, subject to an assessment of the impact of the return to education on the epidemiological profile of the disease.

I have approved a recommendation, for implementation in the coming days, focusing on children in early years and primary education settings to ensure that the education of the children of this country can continue uninterrupted to the greatest extent possible. The recommendations I have approved involve changes for children in childcare and primary education, discontinuing automatic contact tracing of close contacts, discontinuing testing of asymptomatic close contacts and a removal of the requirement for close contacts to self-isolate. It remains important that children who are symptomatic should continue to rapidly self-isolate and not attend school or socialise until 48 hours after resolution of symptoms.

NPHET has advised that any further potential changes to our testing and tracing programme will be subject to ongoing assessment of the prevailing epidemiological conditions, and I will give them consideration at the appropriate time.

Ensuring the availability of testing and tracing services in school settings remains a priority as the school year continues. It is important to note that these changes have not yet come in to effect and are subject to an assessment of the impact of the return to education on the epidemiological profile of the disease. It remains important that testing and contact tracing is carried out in line with currently agreed protocols for these activities within the HSE. The advise and guidance that currently applies continues to be made available on the HSE website.