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Updated at 4:45 PM
A positive case of Covid-19 has been confirmed in a second primary school in Dublin.
One student tested positive for the virus, prompting other students to be sent home for isolation as a precaution.
The Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) has confirmed the positive case associated with one of their schools in West Dublin.
In a statement, it said that all relevant close contacts at the school have been identified, contacted and advised on next steps, while all necessary hygiene, health and safety protocols are in place at the school for the prevention and containment of the virus. .
“The school continues to be fully operational. In accordance with the Back to School protocols, close contacts have been requested to stay home, where remote lessons will continue to be provided using online systems,” he said.
“DDLETB is working closely with the school principal and school administration to provide all possible support and assistance … Our continued priority is to support the well-being of the school community and to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning for school students and teachers. college. “
DDLETB said that the cases arising in its schools had been anticipated and that there was “a high state of readiness among our school communities where the prescribed plans and protocols have been fully implemented and followed.”
The case at the West Dublin school was confirmed on Tuesday and the students’ parents were informed. The mixed school has more than 200 students. Several students who have been identified as close contacts of the confirmed case will isolate themselves pending two rounds of Covid-19 testing.
Following confirmation of the case, Education Minister Norma Foley confirmed that priority testing will be available to schools with a Covid-19 outbreak.
“Priority testing will be provided when there is an outbreak in a school and schools will not be treated differently than priority testing provided in other settings where such a situation occurs,” he said.
Second school
Also Tuesday, another Dublin school in the southwest of the county confirmed that a student had tested positive for the virus, prompting 30 students to be sent home.
Most elementary schools reopened last week, having been closed since mid-March due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Teachers ‘unions have raised concerns about the return of classes, and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has claimed that some schools are not implementing social distancing measures.
Speaking at Oireachtas’ Special Covid-19 Response Committee, TUI General Secretary Michael Gillespie said the union had received reports that some schools were not meeting public health requirements.
Mr. Gillespie added that his teachers “will not accept any deviation from public health guidance, including the absolute necessity of maintaining a physical distance of not less than one meter, preferably two meters, in our schools.”
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