Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 October 2020
71. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education the protections in place for teachers, in particular those with underlying medical conditions, in the case of a positive Covid-19 test in their schools; and the protocols for schools to notify staff, parents and students in cases in which there is a positive test in a school. [30224/20]
View answerMy Department has published a suite of helpful guidance for the safe and sustainable reopening of schools, in line with public health advice, including guidance on the completion and implementation of a Covid-19 response plan by primary, special and post-primary schools. Each school is required to have a COVID-19 Response Plan in place. Covid-19 response plans are the means through which schools can best prevent the introduction and spread of Covid-19 in the school environment. Covid-19 response plans set out the practical steps schools must take to minimise the risk of introduction and transmission of Covid-19 in the school environment and provide for the safe operation of schools.
An employee in the ‘high risk’ group who is not ill must attend the workplace. In accordance with HSE advice, the employee in the ‘high risk’ group should take extra care to practice social distancing and hand hygiene. The Covid 19 response plan outlines the arrangements in place to ensure a safe workplace for all employees. Those deemed ‘high risk’ and ‘normal risk’ can attend the workplace safely where the school is implementing the Covid-19 Response Plan and the health advice for schools.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/
This guidance provides that the HSE Department of Public Health will liaise directly with schools regarding any actions to be taken following a Public Health Risk Assessment. In practice, this involves the HSE Department of Public Health liaising directly with the designated contact, usually the school principal of the public health instructions. The risk assessment includes HSE advice and guidance on communication to pupils and staff in the event of a confirmed case in the school.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has considered the national experience of school reopening to date, including the epidemiological data and information gathered through case and outbreak management. The experience to date since schools reopened is reassuring and supports the current international position that schools and childcare facilities do not appear to be key drivers of COVID-19 transmission in the community. It is clear that the exceptional efforts of school staff, children and parents/guardians in implementing the public health guidance has contributed to the safe and successful reopening of schools in Ireland.
My Department has also recently published detailed FAQs for school principals in relation to the COVID-19 Testing Pathway for school communities. These FAQs will greatly assist principals to understand and manage situations as they arise in their schools and they include HSE contact details, including for out of hours for any queries that the FAQs do not address.
