Ireland

Hiqa considers mandatory mask wearing for primary school children

Review is based on concern that under 12s, who are unvaccinated, are at greater risk

Concerns have been raised about the possible spread of Covid-19 in primary schools as children return. Photograph: iStock

Aine Kenny
Tue Aug 31 2021 - 13:31

The requirement for primary school children wearing masks in classrooms should be explored now that schools are reopening, according to the general sectary of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO).

Concerns have been raised about the possible spread of Covid-19 in primary schools as children return from their summer holidays.

Case numbers remain stubbornly high due to the more-transmissible Delta variant.

This, coupled with the fact that vaccines are not being offered to children under 12, has lead to fears that primary school children will be at greater risk of catching the virus.

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Nphet has asked Hiqa, the health and patient safety watchdog, to examine whether children under 13 should wear a mask indoors.

Currently, mask wearing for children is limited to those aged 13 and over when on public transport, in shops and in secondary school.

The last Hiqa review on reducing the age of mandatory mask wearing was published in March of this year. At the time, Hiqa did not recommend any changes to the current advice, meaning children aged 12 and under are not required to wear a mask indoors.

In a statement on Tuesday Hiqa said they have been asked to conduct a review of the scientific evidence in relation to younger children wearing masks.

Hiqa has also been asked to provide advice on whether the current minimum age for mask wearing requirements should be reduced.

“We will shortly publish a protocol outlining what information will be considered. We anticipate publishing this advice in September,” the statement said.

Hiqa’s Covid-19 Evidence Synthesis Team within their Health Technology Assessment Directorate will conduct the review.

The General Secretary of INTO, Ireland’s largest primary teacher’s union, welcomed the review. “We are certainly behind a further review,” John Boyle told Newstalk’s Breakfast Briefing.

Mr Boyle added there are already inconsistencies in relation to mask-wearing in Irish schools.

Mr Boyle pointed out that a 12-year-old child in a secondary school wears a mask, but a child of the same age in a primary or special school does not.

Antigen testing in schools, which was proposed back in April, has also not been introduced, and Mr Boyle said that the union was eager to see antigen testing pilot programmes being rolled out this year.

The union leader also spoke about pregnant teachers’ fears of returning to school.

Currently, a woman is only offered a Covid-19 vaccine after 14 weeks of pregnancy. This means teachers in the early stages of pregnancy will be returning to the classroom unvaccinated, as the option of remote working is no longer available to them due to a recent change in guidance from the Department of Education.

These teachers have been “let down badly” by the Government, according to Mr Boyle.

“It is an absolute disgrace that women in their first 14 weeks of pregnancy couldn’t have been left working remotely for a few more weeks until they got the same protection and equality of the rest of the staff,” he said.

Some pregnant teachers were taking leave of absence, as they were too anxious to return to in-person teaching, according to Mr Boyle.

Covid had also “shone a light” on a wide range of issues in the primary school sector in Ireland, Mr Boyle said, with large classes sizes, among the highest in Europe, being most pertinent.

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