The Acting Chief Medical Officer has moved to reassure parents surrounding Covid-19 outbreaks in schools in an open letter.
Dr Ronan Glynn said the worry parents and teachers have regarding their child at school was “natural” and the decision to reopen schools was not “taken lightly.”
He said: “There will be cases of COVID-19 among children over the coming days and weeks, as there have been throughout this pandemic to date.
“But when this happens our public health teams in the HSE will respond and liaise closely with the school involved and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to protect other students and school staff.
“International evidence shows us that child-to-child and child-to-adult transmission of COVID-19 in schools is uncommon.
“In addition, our own experience to date in Ireland, and indeed that reported internationally, demonstrates that for the overwhelming majority of children who are diagnosed with COVID-19, their symptoms will be mild.”
Dr Glynn said the decision to reopen schools was based on guidance by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
And due to scientific evidence regarding the risk in schools and staff and on the experiences of other countries with schools open.
He said: "Of course, as we continue to navigate our way through this pandemic, there are no zero risk options for reopening schools or indeed any other environment; the aim, therefore, is to reopen in as safe a way as possible by ensuring that all appropriate public health measures such as physical distancing, hand washing and respiratory hygiene are implemented where appropriate.”
Dr Glynn reminded parents it was okay to send children to school if they “only have a runny nose of a sneeze.”
But if there are any concerns that a child has symptoms of Covid-19 such as a fever, cough, shortness of breath or a loss of taste and smell then “please keep them at home until you have spoken with your GP by phone.”
Signing off his letter, Dr Glynn thanked parents and school staff for everything they have done to keep communities and families safe over the past seven months.
