NPHET meets this morning and will consider if children in primary schools should wear masks to help curb the spread of Covid-19.
The body will also look at the use of the facial wear being extended to those attending large or crowded events.
But, it will be next week before health officials consider if further restrictions are needed.
Dr Eoghan de Barra says the virus is hitting the unvaccinated hardest and it could be avoided.
It’s as cases of the virus among children have increased by over 50% in the past fortnight.
There were nearly 16,500 positive tests in that time frame, almost 6,000 more than the previous two weeks.
Junior Education Minister Josepha Madigan says it’s up to public health officials to decide whether contact tracing should restart in classrooms.
Meanwhile, parents can avail of free antigen tests for their children, if they’re deemed a close contact of a classmate with Coronavirus.
They’ll be asked to test their child three times over five days but if the child has no symptoms and tests negative, they can continue attending school.
It’s part of a new plan to handle Covid-19 cases in schools, which also includes requesting student teachers to fill substitute roles when teachers are out sick.
Added to that see how St Luke’s General Hospital for Carlow and Kilkenny is faring here.
