The rising number of children being kept out of school due to Covid-19 could be stemmed using antigen testing, the head of the Irish SME Association has said. The HSE estimates there could be as many as 14,000 children out of school as they are a contact of a Covid-19 case. “Despite the findings of the expert panel, Nphet [the National Public Health Emergency Team] has stoutly resisted the widespread use of antigen testing,” he said. The Irish National Teachers' Organisation is hoping to meet with the Department of Education and public health officials again next week on this issue and discuss potential solutions. Meanwhile, following confusion among parents about symptoms of Covid-19, the Department of Education has re-issued a list of 11 symptoms on its social channels.

Source: Irish Examiner September 10, 2021 20:26 UTC