Contact tracing is being stopped in primary schools and childcare facilities from Monday.
It means testing of asymptomatic close contacts will be discontinued.
The measures do not include special education facilities.
Children aged 12 and under and deemed close contacts in childcare settings, will not have to restrict their movements unless advised to do so by Public Health.
Public health advice remains that any child aged 12yrs or under who displays Covid symptoms should quickly self-isolate and not attend school, until 48 hours after they're symptom free.
UPDATE: The Minister for Health @DonnellyStephen has today accepted recommendations in relation to measures for contact tracing and testing for childcare and primary schools. pic.twitter.com/qidL5fr3fC
— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) September 22, 2021
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said data suggesting schools are low risk environments for the spread of Covid-19 fed into today's decision.
However, the Irish National Teachers' Organisation has called for a deferral of the changes to contact tracing until reliable information is available.
Case Numbers
The number of Covid-19 cases linked to schools more than doubled in the last week.
HPSC data shows 90 outbreaks in the week to last Saturday resulting in 412 new infections.
That's up from 40 outbreaks and 191 linked cases the previous week.
There was one new outbreak in a university last week leading to seven cases.
