Minister for Education Norma Foley has said that the incidence rate of Covid-19 among children aged 5-11 has been declining and that schools had a lower incidence rate than households.
Ms Foley told RTÉ radio’s News at One that 90,000 antigen tests had been delivered to schools around the country, antigen tests carried out had a positivity rate of 3.6 per cent with a two per cent positivity rate in follow up PCR tests.
The overall incidence rate in schools was 4 per cent while it was 35 per cent among households, the Minister added. The incidence rate among 5 to 11-year-olds was 15 per cent.
Ms Foley said that the situation in schools would be monitored by public health over the Christmas holidays and that if required the Department of Education would “pivot in one direction” as had been done in the past at short notice.
“We will continue these meetings over Christmas,” she added.
The school community knew of the importance of face to face education, she said, and her department would follow public health advice. “We have learned from Covid that there may be many twists and turns. We have to be resigned to meet these challenges.
“Whatever additional measures are required – we will do.”
On the issue of ventilation in schools Ms Foley said that €62 million had been made available to schools for any minor works necessary to improve ventilation. No two schools were alike which was why they were being given autonomy to identify their own challenges.
A whole suite of measures is being put in place to support schools and ensure there were teachers available either through substitutes, job share or the return of retired teachers. There had been an increase of 680 staff to the supply panel to meet these needs.
The Christmas break was now a “window of opportunity” to halt transmission, she said.
