THE Public Health Agency (PHA) is set to take over responsibility for the contact tracing of close contacts of Covid-19 cases at schools in the North of Ireland.
BBC News NI reports that if approved, the move is expected to reduce the number of pupils who have to self-isolate and miss time in school.
It is also expected to ease demand for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.
Schools will be urged to encourage pupils to take twice-weekly lateral flow device (LFD) tests.
The aim is also to ease the burden placed on principals and school leaders to trace close contacts.
The Ulster Teachers’ Union said schools had faced a “tsunami” of Covid-19 cases and related absences in recent days.
Principals’ representatives and teaching unions are expected to be consulted on the plans later.
They are similar to arrangements for schools currently in place in England, Scotland and Wales.
New self-isolation guidance for schools was issued on 26 August.
It changed previous guidance for close contacts to isolate for 10 days and aimed to reduce the time children spent out of school.
But the logistical burden of tracing asymptomatic close contacts has, in the main, been the responsibility of school principals and staff.
That has also led to high numbers of pupils self-isolating and seeking negative PCR tests to return to school.
Any child with symptoms is still expected to stay off school and get a PCR test.
If that is positive they must self-isolate for 10 days.
If the move is approved by principals’ representatives and unions, guidance on how the new arrangements will operate will be provided to schools.
A number of teaching unions in the North have called for the PHA to take responsibility for identifying close contacts of pupils in schools.
In England, Scotland and Wales public health authorities take on the responsibility for tracing close contacts of school pupils.
In Wales, the Test, Trace and Protect (TTP) programme gathers information from positive cases on their close contacts.
Children under 16 are spoken to alongside a parent or guardian.
The public health authorities, rather than schools, then advise close contacts whether they have to self-isolate or seek a PCR test.
Similar arrangements are in place in Scotland with the aim that whole classes or year groups are not routinely asked to stay at home in the event of a positive case.
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