HSE defends ending contact tracing for asymptomatic children

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The cessation of automatic contact tracing for asymptomatic children under the age of 12 does not impact on the notification of outbreaks in schools, the HSE has claimed.

It comes as new data shows that 28 outbreaks have been recorded in schools since the testing and tracing of asymptomatic children stopped in September, compared to 179 in the three weeks prior.