Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2022
415. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education the position regarding Covid-19 and close contacts in special schools; the rules that apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6079/22]
View answerMy Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools.
Public Health advise that the antigen testing programme is available to special schools and special classes. As such, when a Principal of a special school is notified that a child who has been in school during the infectious period has a positive (detected) COVID-19 antigen test result, the school principal is asked to text the other parents in the class to let them know that they can access free antigen tests for their children in the identified class through the HSE. This is a voluntary programme.
Where a positive case occurs in a special educational setting, Public Health will undertake a public health risk assessment. Following the risk assessment, Public Health may advise antigen testing and no restricted movements where pupils remain asymptomatic and do not have a positive COVID-19 antigen OR restricted movements with or without PCR test once the pupil remain asymptomatic and do not have a positive PCR test.
