Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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351. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the contact tracing which is currently taking place for Covid-19 cases; and the main findings in respect of the key settings in which transmission is taking place. [51973/21]

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.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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352. To ask the Minister for Health when NPHET informed the Government that vaccinations alone would not control Covid-19; and the way in which the Government has responded to that information. [51974/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Throughout the pandemic, NPHET has consistently advised on the importance of the continued application of a range of non-pharmaceutical interventions in addition to the vaccination programme as part of our national strategy for the management of COVID-19. These include the importance of self-isolating when symptomatic and diagnosed with COVID-19, wearing of masks in a range of settings, the importance of ventilation, physical distancing, and good hand and respiratory hygiene. These core public health measures have been the bedrock of our response to COVID-19 and continue to form a core component of Government policy and public communications.

The NPHET letters outlining advice to Government over the course of the pandemic are available here www.gov.ie/en/collection/ba4aa0-letters-from-the-cmo-to-the-minister-for-health/

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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353. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the absence of reference to the importance of ventilation in controlling Covid-19 in public health messaging. [51975/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Building ventilation has remained one element of the broader infection prevention and control (IPC) response over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The appreciation of the role of ventilation has evolved in the context of developing experience and evidence. Guidance, training, and measures implemented reflect this learning.

The NPHET for COVID-19 regards ventilation as an important IPC measure and a NPHET subgroup, called the Expert Group on the Role of Ventilation in Reducing Transmission of COVID-19, was accordingly established in the early part of 2021 to provide scientific advice on ventilation and other control measures to reduce the risk of long-range (airborne) transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Following the submission of the Expert Group’s second report, it was agreed that its work would be taken forward by the Senior Officials Group on COVID-19 at the Department of the Taoiseach. Since then, the Expert Group has informed Departments’ and Agencies’ work in respect of sectoral guidance and public information regarding ventilation.

It is the responsibility of individual Government departments to provide sector-specific COVID-19 advice on ventilation as per their respective remits. In this regard, the Deputy’s attention is drawn to the large volume of published guidance across a number of sectors, cited below.

In its most recent advice of 18th October, the NPHET emphasised the importance of the continuation of non-pharmaceutical interventions currently in place across sectors such as the use of face masks, improved ventilation in closed spaces and physical distancing measures until February 2022. The NPHET recommended that sector specific guidance and protocols be reviewed and strengthened where necessary.

Healthcare sector (HSE-AMRIC guidance):

“Acute Hospital Infection Prevention and Control Precautions for Possible or Confirmed COVID-19 in a Pandemic Setting V.2.5 17.08.2021” www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/infectionpreventionandcontrolguidance/

“Interim Guidance on Infection Prevention and Control for the Health Service Executive 2021 V1.3.11.01.2021” www.hpsc.ie/az/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/infectionpreventionandcontrolguidance/hseinfectionpreventionandcontrolguidanceandframework/Interim%20HSE%20Guidance%20on%20IPC.pdf

“COVID-19 Interim Public Health, Infection Prevention & Control Guidelines on the Prevention and Management of COVID-19 Cases and Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities V6.7 17.08.2020”www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/infectionpreventionandcontrolguidance/

More generally, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has published Guidance on non-healthcare settings: Guidance for non-clinical settings - Health Protection Surveillance Centre (hpsc.ie)

Education sector:

Education Guidance - Health Protection Surveillance Centre (hpsc.ie)

www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad236-guidance-on-ventilation-in-schools/

Workplaces, Businesses (including hospitality), Retails Settings, and Shopping Centres:

A revised Work Safely Protocol (previously the Return to Work Protocol) was published on 16th September as a collaborative effort between employers and employees, which was led by the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Health, with the support of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and with significant input by public health from the Health Service Executive (HSE). The revised Protocol incorporates the current advice on the Public Health measures needed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the community and workplaces including enhanced detail on ventilation: www.gov.ie/en/publication/22829a-return-to-work-safely-protocol/

The Health and Safety Authority has also published checklists, including one on the topic of ventilation, to support employers preparing for the return of employees to the workplace: www.hsa.ie/eng/topics/covid-19_coronavirus_information_and_resources/

The National Standards Authority of Ireland has also published workplace shopping centre, and retail protection and improvement guides About our COVID-19 Resources | NSAI

HPSC COVID-19 has published “COVID-19 Guidance for Hospitality Businesses V1.8 01.10.2021” Hospitality guidance.pdf (hpsc.ie)

Fáilte Ireland Operational Guidelines | Business Supports | COVID-19 Support Hub | Fáilte Ireland (failteireland.ie)

Sport:

Sport Ireland has published a return to sport guidance note with information on ventilation: Return to Sport and Physical Activity | Sport Ireland

The Arts:

The Arts Council has published a guidance note for the Arts Sector: Covid - 19 Guidance for the Arts Sector (artscouncil.ie)

There is also additional guidance on Gov.ie and on the HSE website which outlines the importance of ventilation in households, this can be found here:

COVID-19 (coronavirus) - HSE.ie

www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/how-coronavirus-is-spread.html