Dear Parent/Guardian,

The ongoing efforts by parents and children to adhere to the public health advice during this pandemic has been fundamental to our work to drive down the incidence of COVID-19 in the community.

Our priority continues to be to minimise risk and protect as many people as possible from severe illness. As you are aware, the National Public Health Emergency Team monitors incidence of COVID-19 in all age cohorts and environments on an ongoing basis.

In a very short period of time, we have seen a significant and rapid deterioration in the epidemiological situation, and a resultant very high incidence in the as-yet-unvaccinated 5 – 11-year-old age group. This is a cause for some concern.

Schools are at the heart of our communities and they play a fundamental role in the social lives and wellbeing of our children; this is particularly true for children who have special educational needs, are disadvantaged or who may have been disproportionately impacted by school closures during the pandemic. It is therefore imperative that we move quickly as soon as we notice a significant change in incidence.

In addition to the general public health advice to reduce discretionary social contact and for at least the next two weeks, the following events and activities should be avoided:

Further to this, parents should:

I am keenly aware that these measures are not what any of us want to hear, particularly at this time of year. I know this is an additional burden at what has been a very difficult time for all of us, particularly those of us with young families.

That being said, parents have a key role to play in reducing transmission within and between households. At this time of year, young children often display respiratory symptoms, and we know that it gets increasingly difficult to isolate and arrange PCR tests repeatedly. But this remains an essential measure to protect families and the wider community.

When incidence of disease is as high as it at the moment across the country, it means that the force of infection is pushed down through the unvaccainted population and into our unvaccinated young children.

While we know that most in this age group will experience a very mild form of this disease if they pick it up, for a small few, they may become severely ill. I am hopeful that if we all make a concerted effort to follow these measures for at least the next two weeks, we can make a real difference to incidence of disease in this cohort and in the wider public.

NPHET has recommended, on a temporary basis, the wearing of face masks for children:

This measure will be subject to review by NPHET in mid-February 2022.

I would also like to note that vaccines are doing an excellent job of preventing severe illness and disease in those who are fully vaccinated. This is really good news, and I welcome the European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorisation of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for primary school going children (5-11 years). We anticipate receiving further advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) in the near future.

Many thanks for your continued effort to keep our schools and our wider communities safe.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr Tony Holohan

Chief Medical Officer

Why is the public Health Advice Changing?

The measures being announced today are proportionate, to maintain control of the virus, suppress its further spread and to avoid further restrictions.

Incidence of COVID-19 is the second highest it’s been since this pandemic began. The only time it was higher was in the second week of January this year.

This means that there is so much infection in the community, it is that little bit harder to avoid picking up this virus.

Vaccines are doing an excellent job of preventing severe illness and disease in those who are fully vaccinated; this is good news, and we expect an update on vaccines for primary school going children (5-11yrs) in the near future, from the EMA and subsequently NIAC.

1 in 3 children between the ages of 12 and 15 years are yet to come forward for vaccination, and 1 in 5 between 16 and 18 are yet to come forward. It is important that anyone who is eligible for a vaccine come forward to get it as soon as possible.

It does however mean that the force of infection is pushed down through the vaccination-eligible population and into our unvaccinated young children.

What is the updated advice for parents?

Parents have a key role to play in reducing transmission within and between households. We know this is an additional burden at what has been a very difficult time for all of us, particularly those of us with young families. At this time of year, young children often display respiratory symptoms, and we know that it gets increasingly difficult to isolate and arrange PCR tests repeatedly. But this remains an essential measure to protect families and the wider community.

Protecting our education system is one of our key priorities. For at least the next two weeks, we can do this by cutting down on our socialisation in other settings.

Therefore, parents should:

What is the updated advice for children?

Masks should be work by children:

Unfortunately, we need to ask children to meet fewer friends over at least the next fortnight. This is a really tough thing to do, as this includes many of the events and activities that our young adults and children enjoy the most. For at least the next two weeks, these events should really not take place at all:

If you are arranging a birthday party or a play date, this should be with a maximum of one other household and should take place outdoors. No one with symptoms should attend these events.

Children with any symptoms of COVID-19 should not go to creche or school. They should stay at home and parents should arrange a PCR test as soon as you can.