Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 March 2021
132. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the definition of a close contact with regard to primary schools in the context of Covid-19; if this definition has been updated in view of the high prevalence of the new more transmissible variants in Ireland and the fact that primary school children are not required to wear face masks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12228/21]
View answerMy Department has no role in providing guidance of a clinical or medical nature. However the HPSC have published the following definition of a close contact in an educational setting
In accordance with current HPSC close contacts guidelines a clinical Public Health Risk Assessment (PHRA) will be undertaken for all educational settings where a confirmed case has attended whilst infectious. PHRA describes close contacts as:
- Any person who has had face to face contact within less than 1 metre with a confirmed case of COVID-19 for >15 minutes in a school day.
- Any person who has been between 1 and 2 metres from a confirmed case of Covid-19 for >15 minutes in a school day with consideration of other mitigation measures e.g. face-coverings, pods, ventilation, IPC measures or uncertain compliance with mitigation measures in place (assessed through clinical PHRA)
Contacts are assessed from contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19 during their infectious period - 48 hours before the onset of symptoms if symptomatic, or 24 hours before the test for Covid-19 was taken in those who are asymptomatic.
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. All decisions as to appropriate actions following a confirmed case or outbreak will be made by their teams in the context of a full Public Health Risk Assessment procedure.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) keep infection prevention and control measures under review in all sectors. This includes the wearing of masks by primary school students and it is understood that an expert sub group will report to the NPHET on Thursday in this regard. My Department will await the outcome of this advice from NPHET and any subsequent Government decisions.
