Health guidance on managing Covid in schools 'in line with best international practice'

Hiqa reviewed 96 documents on the identification and management of Covid-19 symptoms in schools from 20 countries. Picture: PA Wire

Public health guidance on managing Covid-19 in schools is in line with best international practice, the Health Information and Quality Authority has found.

Hiqa’s deputy chief executive and director of health technology assessment, Dr Máirín Ryan, said parents of schoolgoing children should be reassured by that.

Hiqa reviewed 96 documents on the identification and management of Covid-19 symptoms in schools from 20 countries and the World Health Organisation the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

“We are always looking at best international evidence and best international practice and learning from that,” said Dr Ryan.

It is important that Irish guidance is informed by international practice in the context of rapidly evolving evidence.

A primary and secondary school in Kerry sent some students home on Thursday after pupils tested positive for the coronavirus. Another primary school in Co Clare closed on Wednesday as a precautionary measure after some staff members were identified as close contacts of a confirmed case of Covid-19. All of the schools are being guided by the HSE.

The authority found there is general agreement that universal health screening should not be conducted in schools; that symptomatic children and young people should be isolated rapidly and that schools should not make closure decisions without input from public health bodies, with community transmission a key consideration.

However, differences emerged concerning the symptoms that require children and young people to stay at home; whether they need to stay at home if there is an illness in the household and what constitutes a close classroom contact.

The Government is one of many across the world that made the safe and the full reopening of schools a national priority.

There is still uncertainty about the role children play in the spread of Covid-19. However, evidence from contact tracing in schools and observational data from several countries suggest that reopening schools has not been associated with significant increases in community transmission.

Hiqa was asked to undertake the review by the National Public Health Emergency Team’s clinical advisory group.