Public Health Agency highlights importance of Covid testing in schools after Hallowe’en

School staff and pupils in years 8-14 are urged to take an asymptomatic covid test before they return to school as well as continuing to regularly test themselves thereafter to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

It is estimated that around one third of people with Covid-19 do not have any symptoms of the virus. Dr Louise Herron, Consultant in Public Health Medicine explains why regular testing is vital.

“Asymptomatic testing is an extremely important and effective way of helping ensure that those who may have the virus without knowing can take the appropriate actions to reduce the spread of coronavirus and keep others safe. For it to work, we need as many people as possible to participate.

“Cases of Covid-19 amongst school-aged children were increasing throughout the summer before schools started back in September. The increased transmissibility of the Delta variant, and the fact that many children are unvaccinated, means that this was not unexpected, and we have continued to see cases in this group.

“The PHA is asking that the school community continues to focus on the range of measures they already have in place to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. These include cleaning, ventilation, face coverings and regular asymptomatic testing using lateral flow devices, also known as LFDs, for all staff and post-primary pupils.”

The Education Authority (EA) warns that a negative result doesn’t mean schools and pupils should change their behaviours around social distancing, hand washing and the wearing of face coverings.

Jim Dunbar from the Covid-19 Response Team at the Education Authority said: “The best place for children and young people is in school, learning, socialising with their friends, and getting the best start in life. There is no doubt that young people have been greatly impacted throughout the pandemic and have experienced significant disruption to their learning.

“High rates of participation in the asymptomatic testing programme, alongside the other measures within schools, will help us all to make sure that we’re not just protecting each other from the virus, but will also help to keep our children and young people and staff safe and in school.

“Older students in years 8-14 are participating in the testing as prevalence of Covid-19 tends to be higher among this group, so we would encourage as many eligible pupils as possible to participate and keep themselves, their friends and the entire school community safe.

“We would again thank all of schools leaders and wider school communities for their support, commitment and determination to keeping children and young people safe and in school and keeping Covid-19 out of schools.”

More information on the testing programme can be found on www.eani.org.uk