The chief medical officer has moved to assuage parents’ concerns as children return to school today from a week off amid high numbers of new Covid-19 infections.
Tony Holohan said he was conscious that parents and guardians of children in the 5-12 age group, where the incidence of the disease was high, would be concerned.
“International evidence tells us that, in the vast majority of cases, children who become infected with Covid-19 experience mild symptoms or are asymptomatic,” Holohan said. “The public health advice is based on scientific evidence and the direct experience of the pandemic in Ireland. It shows that child-to-child transmission is uncommon in school settings where there are preventive measures in place like those throughout our schools.
“Schools are vital to the health and wellbeing of our children and it is important that we continue to balance the priorities of safeguarding public health in the community with the social and psychological development needs of our youngest generation.”
He warned that “outdoor or well-ventilated indoor activities” were “safer for everyone” and parents should stay 2m away from each other at school drop-off and collection times.
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A further 1,963 confirmed cases of Covid-19 were reported by the HSE yesterday. There were 500 patients in hospital with the disease, 93 of whom were in intensive care.
Meanwhile, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) is meeting this week to discuss rolling out booster vaccines for healthcare workers.
The taoiseach said yesterday that there will be an expansion of boosters, subject to advice from Niac.
Micheál Martin said: “The European perspective is that, over time, vaccines will be used in respect of Covid regularly.”
He added that the European Medicines Agency would take a decision in relation to the vaccination of children in “a number of weeks’ time”.
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“It will then fall to all authorities to give consideration to that aspect of the programme. The other side of the coin is there are therapeutics and there’s more progress being made on medicines to treat Covid, and that’s positive,” he said.
The HSE’s chief clinical officer said yesterday there was “no doubt” that hospitals were under pressure due to the virus.
Speaking on RTE Radio 1’s This Week programme, Colm Henry said 3,500 healthcare workers were out of work for Covid-related illnesses.
However, he added that while case numbers were high, fewer people were being hospitalised with the disease, indicating the efficacy of vaccination.