• Close contact testing:

Q. What is the period of restricted movements required of a pupil/student or staff member deemed to be a “close contact”?

Pupils/students will be asked to restrict their movements. In line with national recommendations for close contacts, testing is offered at Day 0 and Day 10.

If a close contact received a ‘not detected’ result from both tests, then they can end their restricted movements and return to school.

If they have a ‘detected’ test result, they will then be managed as a case of COVID-19.

If they do not undertake COVID-19 testing, then they are required to restrict their movements for a full 14 days.

Anyone who is a close contact of a person that tested positive for COVID-19 has to restrict their movements and follow the process as above.

Restricted movements start from the last date they were in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.

As several close contacts are usually identified in an education setting, the date of D10 testing can change, depending on the results public health receives from everyone’s Day 0 testing. Often the date of D10 testing will be pushed out. All close contacts will be informed of their new date of D10 testing and prolonged restricted movements if this is the case.

A close contact can stop restricting their movement and return to school when both of the following apply: 

 They have a negative test (COVID-19 not detected) 10 days after they were last in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19.
 They do not have any symptoms of COVID-19
As per data protection regulations, a school will not confirm the name of the pupil/student and/or staff member who tested positive (‘detected’) for COVID-19.

What should family members do if the pupil/student /staff member receives a confirmed COVID-19 result

The family members are now considered to be close contacts of a confirmed case of COVID-19 and are therefore required to restrict their movements for the full 14 days.

What should the family members do if the pupil/student /staff member receives a “not detected” result after the required number of tests

The family members are not required to restrict their movements.

Testing

Is there any occasion whereby someone who has been tested for COVID-19 should be attending a school

Any child who is symptomatic or being tested because they are a close contact of a confirmed case should not be within the school setting.

If the close contacts identified within the school test positive, will public health perform another risk assessment and is there any action required from the school

Public health will review the situation and continue their engagement. Public Health risk assessment is dynamic, changing as information is accumulated.

What if a pupil/student / staff member is waiting more than three days for a test result

Anyone waiting longer than 3 days for a COVID-19 test result should get in touch with the `HSE delayed COVID-19 test search service’ by choosing one of the options below:

• fill out the online form www.hse.ie/CovidResults
• freephone HSELive on 1850 24 1850 who will take your details. This service is open Monday to Friday: 8am -8pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm
• call your GP who can submit a query on your behalf using a protected form

Singing
Q: Guidance for singing 
A: Guidance with regard to singing at primary school level remains the same as circulated before Christmas.  Unfortunately, no parents / guardians will be allowed to attend outdoor events either’. It is important that this advice continues, especially as we move closer to end-of-term festivities.