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LAST UPDATE | 28 Oct 2021
TÁNAISTE LEO VARADKAR has said antigen tests may be rolled out in schools to test close contact of pupils.
Varadkar said that rapid tests could be given to children in a school pod where there has been a confirmed case.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Ronan Glynn said that NPHET is analysing the Covid-19 incidence in children aged 5-12, which is currently the age group with the highest incidence of Covid-19.
Speaking in Mullingar, Varadkar said it is not a surprise to see that level of infection in that age group.
He said the government anticipates offering the vaccine to primary school children in the next few months.
“One of the things that NPHET is going to give consideration to now is whether we need to look again at the issue of contact tracing because if somebody is a close contact of somebody who has Covid and they’re not in school they will be offered a PCR test if they’re positive and an antigen test if they’re not,” he said.
“And it may be the case that we might have to apply that to schools as well, but that wouldn’t necessarily mean every child in the class being tested, but it might mean kids in a pod for example.
“So if one kid gets infected then it might make sense to test all the kids in the pod as well using rapid test,” he said.
Varadkar said he does not anticipate the closure of schools or extending the mid-term break.
He said they did not want to go back to a scenario where children were missing out on ten days school due to Covid-19 outbreaks.
His comments come as the Taoiseach said the government is considering rolling out rapid antigen test kits more generally.
From today, close contacts of a confirmed Covid-19 case who are fully vaccinated and asymptomatic are to receive a box of antigen tests from today.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced this morning that the HSE system for sending antigen tests to close contacts has gone live, and that from today people will be sent boxes of five rapid tests in the post.
Speaking in UCD today, Micheál Martin said: “We are now dealing close contacts as of today.
“We should develop a culture of self-testing and that would be regular and that would be something that people would do in the right circumstances, with the right advice.
“There will be a communications campaign around the proper use of antigen tests because the expert review group did ascertain there is a need for proper advice for the utilisation of such tests as a supplement to PCR.”
He said that antigen testing will be a “further weapon” in the Government’s armoury to deal with the current wave of Covid.
The free antigen tests are available to anyone aged 13 and over.
Speaking on Newstalk this morning, he said:
“We’re going to start sending them out today. We expect households to start getting them tomorrow.”
All close contacts will get a text message which states that if not fully vaccinated and / or symptomatic they will be referred for a PCR test and if fully vaccinated and asymptomatic they will be sent antigen tests to do at home.
The text message will be followed up by a call from the contact tracers who will go through their vaccination history, symptoms and do the referral as appropriate for either PCR or antigen testing.
The contact tracer will take address details and antigen tests will be delivered by An Post in the regular post.
Close contacts who fall into the category for antigen testing will receive a box of five antigen tests and will be asked to do three tests – the first test on the day they receive their test kit, the second test two days later and the third test two days after that.
If antigen tests are positive we are requesting close contacts book a PCR test – as part of that booking process they will be asked to tick that they had a positive antigen result. If a close contact develops symptoms while they are in the process of doing antigen testing they need to self-isolate and book a PCR test.
Those whose antigen tests are negative are also asked to report their negative results via the HSE website.
Separately, the Taoiseach was asked about comments made by Dr Ronan Glynn yesterday evening, where he said that parents should consider if their children need to be part of every activity.
“We have received no advice in terms of children not playing outdoor sports or being engaged in outdoor activity,” Martin added.
“I think one of the dangers of the next phase is, because of the nature of our weather, that you’re going to get far more indoor activity, which can be a factor in the spread.
“I think the more outdoor activities that we can continue with, the better.
“I would be concerned also about mental well being of children. That’s very important.
“I met with Pieta House and different organisations, they’ve always articulated to us the concern around anxiety levels.”
Another factor in the drop in savings is the possibility that people have less money.
That’s 48% that won’t vote fg ever again.
I was most worried that around 40% of the present government voted with the motion of no confidence in them,by the time fg serve their term they will be the most hated and won’t see a strong hold in power for another 20years untill the next recession
MVM, that’s what we said about Fianna Fail. And we still have reason to hate Fianna Fail more, but they’re surging in the polls.
MVM.
Fianna Fáil have the worst economic record in Europe, massively corrupt and dishonest as a party. Always party and self before country. A cancer in our society in every way. Nothing good in them and yet …
They are still rising in the polls. There is a large segment of the electorate that has battered wife syndrome and the more they are dumped on, the more they will love someone for it.
@Richard,and fg are not corrupt wake up will you
I’ve never voted FG, never will. Indeed I’m politically opposite to them. I have no doubt that they are corrupt and that they look after the big man only. I also know that FF are many multiples more corrupt than they are. They are among the most corrupt parties in any democracy that I’m aware of.
Less money being saved?
What do you expect when the government are siphoning off billions to pay for the crimes of common criminals?
@ michael Hayes if the money is been spent on basic living then the economy is stagnant it can’t improve and with the extra charges coming on stream it will regress
Is it true that USC will apply to interest from savings next year? DIRT is already 33% from this year. Enough already!!
Thought it was PRSI that was to be applied.If i’m right would a rate of 37.5% on the interest earned make you want to withdraw the principle and squander it on shopping?Can’t see people with savings being that stupid.
That’s true Reg, USC will apply to all “unearned” income
I remember FG & Labour in government in the 80′s we got screwed then & the people haven’t learned!!! We are NOT saving because we have NOT got anything to save at end of pay day :-( & are barely making ends meet! Didn’t vote for either party this time either, & won’t in the future either!
Just like now, in the ’80s FG and Labour took over a bankrupt country after Fianna Fail. Fianna Fail voter by any chance?
Reg you might want to go back and have a look at FG’s economic record in the 80′s.They were every bit as incomptent as FF and still are.They just had fewer chances than FF at destroying the country.
Ah Norman, you’re making assumptions about thinks I never said. You disappoint me. I was simply stating that Labour and FG came into government after Fianna Fail bankrupted the country. I didn’t comment about how good or bad they were at cleaning up the mess.
Reg you implied Breda’s opinion is less valid because she stated she didn’t vote for this government.Yes your correct i don’t know what you think nor did i try to suggest as to what you thought either.
No I didn’t suggest that her opinion is any less valid. He vote counts the same as mine at the end of the day. I was simply reminding her the reasons why we are getting “screwed” as she put it. She suggests that people haven’t learned. She certainly right there, but I am not sure that she knows that she is!
The reasons fg are such a sh1t party are
A.they are liars which noone can deny
B.they have no business sence and roll over easy to the eu.
Ff would have struck a better deal and if they couldn’t they wouldn’t be going around telling everyone they are getting a better deal when the eu specifically said NO
All this “which party is more economically illiterate” is pointless! I think it’s quiet clear to see that in general the ability of Irish politicians is so low that no party is capable of running an economy.
The falloff in savings is a direct result of the interest rate policy of the ECB. Current interest rates net of DIRT are less than the real rate of inflation. So why would you save money and watch it lose it’s value?
Just thinking of the SSIAs from a few years back and the cars, holidays and house extensions they funded makes you chuckle now…
How the Hell can you save . The government . Are slowly killing the economy . People can’t. Buy food. Never mind save
We need to get real and realize this is good. If 48% of people are putting all of their income into the economy, demand levels are being maintained if not increased. Basically, we’ll spend our way out of the recession.
Do you think maybe 48% are spending all their money because they can’t afford to save?
oh dear :(
You missed the point completely there Michael. People have no money to save, its not that people are choosing to spend all their income..
Michael it is not good news that 48% of people are spending all their monthly income and have nothing left to save. What it means is that 48% of the population as of this moment are terrified that some big unexpected bill is going to appear because they don’t have the money to pay for it.
Not spending what I don’t have to turn economy around..
Another one of those statistics that will go whistling over the government’s head.
I’ve been spending my savings as well as my income……
have your say