Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 March 2021
524. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education if the wearing of masks and antigen testing will be brought into primary schools for children and teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13065/21]
View answerMy Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to the infection prevention and control measure appropriate for schools. While current public health advice makes it a requirement for face coverings to be worn by teachers, non-teaching staff in primary and post primary schools and students attending post primary school, it is not a requirement for children attending primary school to wear face-coverings.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) keep infection prevention and control measures under review in all sectors and have recently confirmed that the wearing of masks by primary school students is not being recommended at this time.
The current position of the HSE is that serial antigen testing is not recommended as a public health measure to keep schools safe. The HSE will continue to use the more accurate PCR tests for testing all index cases and close contacts within the school community and will prioritise the mass swift queue PCR testing which has proven highly effective to date.
This position is being kept under review by the HSE and an expert group is in place examining the use of antigen testing in schools and in other workplaces.
