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THE MINISTERS FOR Education and Health have announced details of how antigen testing in primary schools will work.
A joint statement from both Departments confirms details published in The Journal on Monday.
The antigen testing will concern asymptomatic close contacts, and the tests will be made available to children in a school pod where one of the group has returned a Covid-19 positive PCR test.
If there’s two or more cases confirmed within a classroom inside a seven-day period across multiple pods, the whole class will be offered antigen testing.
The HSE plans to have the system underway on or before November 29.
Parents and guardians are being asked to notify the school principal if their child returns a Covid-19 positive PCR test.
The principal will then inform other parents in the pod, but no personal details about the original positive case will be shared.
After this, parents will be offered free antigen tests for their child or children, which can be ordered and delivered to the home.
This isn’t mandatory though, and children do not need to take an antigen test.
Children who are in the same pod as a confirmed case can continue to go to school, whether they take the antigen test or not.
However they must not attend school if they’re experiencing symptoms.
If a child is displaying any of the symptoms on this list they must isolate and take a PCR test.
Ministers @NormaFoleyTD1 and @DonnellyStephen confirm arrangements for a new system of antigen testing of asymptomatic close contacts in primary schools - https://t.co/CrXnMPBdW6
— Department of Education (@Education_Ire) November 18, 2021
Union reaction
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), which represents primary school teachers, says it will examine the program closely.
A spokesperson for the INTO said “for eight months the government has procrastinated and failed to implement the recommendations of an expert group who proposed a pilot antigen study in primary schools.”
“As a union, we have been campaigning for the introduction of antigen testing since the premature withdrawal of testing and contact tracing from primary schools in September of this year.”
The union says it’s imperative that any schemes the Government brings in are properly resourced and kept under review.
It’s warned that infection levels are rising at an “alarming” rate in schools and a full suite of support is needed to tackle that.
The INTO called on the Government to launch a public awareness campaign designed to stop symptomatic people from attending school.
Finally, Fórsa, which represents school secretaries, caretakers and special needs assistants (SNAs) working in primary schools, said it’s a “long overdue step towards improving Covid protection in schools.”
The union’s head of education Andy Pike said: “We welcome the decision to provide antigen testing in primary schools. While this is not a full return to the previous contact tracing protocol, these new measures will increase protections for students and staff.”
Testing information
Schools and parents are due to receive information about antigen testing early next week.
Principals will not be required to keep evidence of who takes the antigen tests and who does not.
Minister Stephen Donnelly said: “Antigen testing is an additional layer in our public health advice. I welcome this move today.”
However he stressed that anyone with symptoms must self-isolate at home and arrange a PCR test.
The Minister for Education Norma Foley added: “School communities continue to do exceptional work in minimising the spread of COVID-19.”
She added, “I welcome the HSE’s introduction of this choice for parents and children to undertake antigen testing where there is a known case of COVID-19 in a child’s pod.
Minister Foley has stressed that it is vital for everyone to follow advice when this new programme gets underway.
She has also encouraged parents to flag a positive case with the school principal without delay, to offer other parents speedy access to antigen testing.
Finally, Minister Foley appealed to the public to follow the public health advice “we know so well” in hand-washing, staying at home when symptomatic and reducing contacts.
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Across most of Europe primary schools have masks in place? Why not here?
I might trigger certain individuals with these questions…..
@Finn Faulkner: and Asia.
@Finn Faulkner: Just curious do you have kids in primary school? Forcing a small child to wear a mask (badly) for 7 hours a day is just ridiculous. Aside from the health impacts of having a damp, snotty rag on their face all day, it’s a serious impediment for teaching and learning.
@Andy Dunn: they do seem to be a serious source of the spread though. So the choice will ultimately come down to vaccinating them or using every preventative measure possible to stifle the spread from school to home. My sister picked it up last week from her daughter who is in primary school and had a sore throat. My sister is double-vaxed and had no symptoms but came up positive on an antigen test.
@Andy Dunn: vast majority of kids 6+ would be well able to wear a mask, and wear it properly. If it gets damp and snotty (the mask, not the child), it can be replaced. Millions of kids doing it around the world. And it works. What’s ridiculous is using hand sanitiser and an open window to mitigate against an airborne virus in a crowded classroom.
@GrumpyAulFella: I don’t disagree that there may be kids having it and spreading it, but isn’t it the same with colds and flus? Your sister was fine, and her daughter had a bit of a sore throat. At least they both have the natural antibodies now, so should be all good to go until next summer at least.
I think the definition of ‘learning to live with covid’ is some people get a bit sick sometimes, and unfortunately other more unhealthy people will die. Masks don’t prevent that, and vaccinating kids to protect adults is imho pretty immoral.
@Finn Faulkner: My primary school children wear masks in school and its no bother on them.
@Andy Dunn: as a teacher, bollocks.
@Andy Dunn: wow im happy ur not the chief medical officer ur ready to throw all the vulnerable or elderly straight into there coffins sure there only collateral damage.wise up man don’t compare covid with cold or flu,wud u know many people who wind up in ICU after a cold.covid is serious take off the blinkers u may think ur healthy and fit to fight it off but others r not so lucky il take restrictions anyday over allowing needless amount of elderly to die.
@Andy Dunn: my kids of primary school age sometimes choose to wear a mask themselves, because it makes them feel safer. Talking about snotty masks you are maybe thinking toddlers, in primary school they can blow their nose independently, if needed.
According to Stephen Donnelly money spent on antigen tests is money not spent on nurses… I would like to know how many nurses this programme will cost?
@John Duggan: I’d like to know if he’s going to use the money he saves on supplying antigen tests to give nurses and health care workers a payrise.
anytime time I see a pic of that minister I think this is an article about the 80’s band human league! And I’m disappointed every time !!!
@Marko: best comment by far!!!
@Marko: totally agree. An absolute joke of a minister. This is a dreadful convoluting system that is going to do nothing in preventing the spread of this virus. I work in a school and no matter how you work the pods in a classroom there is always cross pod interaction. Teachers and SNAs are also crossing pods. It’s impossible not too in small rooms with up to 30 children. Then there’s the yard….. no classroom pods on yard.
1) How will the department know what pods to send antigen tests to if contact tracing isn’t happening?
2) How will they know which children need them if teachers are no longer required to submit seating plans?
3) Will teachers be included as they are a part of every “pod” in the classroom?
And the teacher, do we get a free one or is it only oireachtas members
@Yvonne Lavelle: I’m sure that ASTI, TUI, INTO and Co are planning their annual strike announcement at present, unless they get more pay restoration, free antigen tests and whatever you’re having yourself. They seldom miss a trick and I’m sure the Oireachtas free test concession has made a nice little precedent now for the whole of the public sector. What do we want, free tests, when do we want them?
@GrumpyAulFella: yo , I do on average 3 tests a week the school crawling with it….go teacher bash somewhere else.
@GrumpyAulFella: Thankfully the union is designed to be one step ahead.
@GrumpyAulFella: I don’t blame the teachers if they object to this. It’s bad enough having to swab your own child, let alone pods of them!
It would make much more sense for parents to take the responsibility of testing as is done in the UK. Send the tests to the kids’ homes instead of putting the burden on schools.
What’s the accuracy of antigen testing when not performed by a medical professional?
@Thomas O’ Donnell: It’s not exactly rocket science.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: If people can’t manage to follow the very basic instructions of an antigen ,Covid is the least of their worries
So it’s being left up to the parents to tell the school if their child has a positive test. Why can’t the HSE do this? We have to hope all parents will be bothered to tell the school.
@Aaron: And many won’t as it doesn’t suit them.
What’s classed as a close contact in schools? My sons friend was positive not in his pod but allowed to play in yard? Had to decide to test him anyway for the his safety as well as the rest of the family.
@Tracey Byrne: positive cases self isolate
@Mike Dé Vere: well that’s obvious!!! He was still a close contact that he and the rest of us as his been his family have a right to know if our health is a risk
So I’ve been trying to get my head around this. Beginning 29th November – If Johnny is sitting next to Jimmy in a pod and Johnny tests positive then Jimmy’s parents will be given the option of him having an antigen test. In the event that they decide not to do so Jimmy will still be free to attend school and mix with other children and teachers. It is only if Jimmy begins to display symptoms (which to my recollection may not happen until the virus has advanced in his system) then and only then will he be required to be tested and if positive stay home and isolate. In the interim what has happened to Daniel who sits on the other side of Jimmy and Joseph who sits next to Daniel? What happens to the teacher who is a close contact of all the children in the classroom? What about the extended families whom the children go home to after school? What is the protocol between now and the 29th November? Am I missing something or are they intent on having the schools closed down again because the only proven effective measure which was test and trace has been discarded?
Too SLOW as usual not easy to buy either.
Who will administer the tests
@Tricia Lowry: Parents
Another minimalist Non Pharmaceutical Intervention. Expect these mitigation disasters to be challenged be changed within a week. To hell with the teachers and SNAs seems to be her approach.
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