All pupils and staff at a school in Co Kerry, the constituency of the Minister for Education Norma Foley, are to be tested in one of the largest outbreaks of Covid-19 in any school thus far.
As the Irish Examiner reports, all children are being asked to remain at home until December 30th, according to a letter to parents from the Department of Public Health tonight.
17 cases at Scoil Mhuire Killorglin, a mixed primary school of 386 pupils, have been recorded so far “and contact tracing is ongoing” according to the HSE-South Department.
In the letter it states that:
In the Irish experience with Covid-19 thus far, it has been uncommon to see an outbreak of this scale among a school population.
School management had implemented and continued to implement appropriate Covid control measures. Cases and close contacts have also been isolating.
Restricted movements
“Following further review today, based on current evidence the decision has been taken to extend testing to the remainder of the school population, (children and staff),” the letter states.
Any child not previously identified as a case or a close contact is now advised to restrict their movements until Wednesday, December 30th.
The children are being referred for two tests, a number of days apart, by the HSE.
Restricted movement means “the child does not go to school”, the letter says.
They are also to stay away from older people and not have visitors in homes.
Meanwhile, a junior infants class in Tralee has been asked to remain at home until after Christmas.
