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The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD has today accepted recommendations in relation to measures for contact tracing and testing for childcare and primary schools. The new measures will come into effect from Monday and have been made following discussions with the National Public Health Emergency Team and the Chief Medical Officer.

Minister Donnelly has accepted the following recommendations, to be implemented from 27 September:

  • automatic contact tracing of close contacts in childcare facilities and primary education will be discontinued (not including special education facilities)

  • testing of asymptomatic close contacts in childcare facilities and primary education will be discontinued (not including special education facilities)

  • children aged 12yrs or under, who are identified as close contacts in childcare, educational settings, special education settings or other non-household settings and who are asymptomatic will no longer be required to restrict movements, unless indicated by the local public health team

  • children aged 12yrs or under who are identified as household close contacts in household settings will still be required to restrict movements and get tested, regardless of symptomatic status

  • public health advice remains that any child aged 12yrs or under who displays symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should rapidly self-isolate and not attend school or to socialise until 48 hours after they are symptom free

Download Department of Health statement on Close Contact Testing in Schools