More than 250 schools required Covid tests and contact tracing last week

More than 250 schools required close contact tracing and testing last week, a 40% increase from the week before. Picture: Larry Cummins

More than 250 schools required close contact tracing and testing last week, a 40% increase from the week before.

However, Covid-19 continues to be detected at a low rate amongst these close contacts.

The latest HSE mass testing report shows 257 primary, post-primary and special educational facilities required the close contacts linked to an unknown number of index cases to be tested last week. 

The rate of Covid detected amongst these close contacts remains low, at 1.9% across all education settings.

Since schools began returning to in-person learning, Covid-19 has been detected at a rate of 2.2% amongst all close contacts tested linked to index cases in schools. 

Almost 13,200 people have been deemed a "close contact" of positive cases in an education setting, across 351 settings.

Childcare facilities

Meanwhile, a further 112 childcare facilities required close contact tracing and testing with Covid-19 detected at a rate of 5.7%.

During the week ending Sunday, March 28, 4,887 primary school students were tested for Covid-19, up from 2,814 the week before.

The rate of children testing positive for Covid among this category remained low, at 1.7%.

At post-primary, 794 teenagers were tested, with Covid-19 detected at a rate of 2.5%. 

In special education, 166 people up to the age of 19 were tested, with Covid-19 detected at a rate of 5.5%. 

A note on the report states that since February 2021, Tusla residential sites were included in data given on special education settings.

“These have now been removed and reports going forward for special education will only present data for special education school facilities.”