Contact Tracing No Longer Taking Place In Primary Schools And Childcare Facilities

It means testing of asymptomtic close contacts will be discontinued.

From Monday testing of asymptomatic close contacts and automatic contact tracing will be stopped in primary schools and childcare.

The measures do not include special education facilities.

Children aged 12 and under and deemed close contacts in childcare settings, will not have to restrict their movements unless adviced to do so by Public Health.

Public health advice remains that any child aged 12yrs or under who displays Covid symptoms should quickly self-isolate and not attend school, until 48 hours after they're symptom free.

Health Minister Wicklow TD Stephen Donnelly said data suggesting schools are low risk environments for the spread of Covid-19 fed into today's decision.

However, the Irish National Teachers' Organisation has called for a deferral of the changes to contact tracing until reliable information is available.