Teachers' union wants change to close contact tracing for schools deferred

The country's largest teachers' union has reacted angrily to the contact tracing changes and called for a deferral until after the mid-term break.

Parents will no longer have to keep their children home from primary school or creche if they are a Covid-19 close contact case as long as they are asymptomatic.

The change means that, from Monday, children who would have been forced to restrict their movements will be able to remain in school.

However, the country's largest teachers' union has reacted angrily to the contact tracing changes and called for a deferral until after the mid-term break.

Under guidance issued yesterday by the Department of Health, from Monday:

• The automatic contact tracing of close contacts in creches and primary schools will be discontinued;

• The testing of asymptomatic close contacts in creches and primary schools will be discontinued;
• Children aged 12 and under who are identified as a close contact in childcare, primary school, or any other non-household setting will no longer have to restrict their movements unless advised by the local public health team;
• Children aged 12 or under who are identified as close contacts in household settings will still be required to restrict movements and get tested, regardless of symptomatic status;
• Any children who do show symptoms of Covid-19 should still self-isolate, according to public health advice.

The changes were signed-off by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, following discussions with the National Public Health Emergency Team and the chief medical officer. 

Thousands of children had to self-isolate during the first weeks of this year's school term after being identified as close contacts of a confirmed Covid-19 case. 

This had caused huge disruption to parents and employers, with children having to stay home from school and creche for 10 days or more.

Chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, last night said: "This is good news for students, parents, and all those involved in the education of our children." 

Given the importance of education for our children, we feel that now is the right time to evolve our approach to the public health management of Covid-19 in educational settings.

However, abandoning the current contact tracing arrangements could cause “mass confusion” for schools, principals, staff, and parents, the primary teachers' union has warned. 

The Irish National Teachers Organisation also maintains there is a “deficiency” in the data published by the HSE in relation to mass testing in primary schools. 

The union said it is "particularly concerned" that the changes are being proceeded with, despite this being acknowledged at a meeting yesterday with the Department of Education and public health officials. 

The union is calling for the changes to be postponed until after the mid-term break. "This would allow time for better data to be obtained and sufficient time for considered analysis and to allow for the proposed changes to be implemented in an orderly fashion."

From next Monday, the contact tracing of close contacts among children in social and sporting groups will also no longer take place. 

Children attending special education schools will continue to be subject to contact tracing protocols. 

Cases and outbreaks in special educational needs settings, respite care, or residential settings will also still require a public health risk assessment. 

Fórsa, the union representing special needs assistants welcomed this decision. 

The changes will allow the testing of Covid-19 in younger children to focus on "clinically relevant symptomatic disease", according to Dr Abigail Collins, the HSE national public health clinical lead for child health.

"We are extremely conscious of the impact that periods of absence from school have on children’s educational, social, and emotional well-being. 

It is a positive change for children, while still enabling rapid access to testing for children who require it clinically." 

The changes come as the Health Protection Surveillance Centre recorded at least 90 outbreaks in schools last week, up from 40 the week prior, linked to 400 confirmed cases of Covid-19.