Students are returning to school this morning after the mid-term break amid a rise in covid-19 cases among 5 to 12 year-olds.
The Chief Medical Officer says he's conscious of parents concerns and says evidence shows child to child transmission in school settings is uncommon.
Tony Holohan says schools are vital to the health and wellbeing of our children.
Principal of Thornley Educate Together in Swords, Paula Juliet, would like contact tracing to return;
"We feel like we've been thrown under the bus as regard to this because there's a huge worry and it's actually causing a huge stress on teachers."
She says teachers know when children are out because of Covid which is then causing them to be worried.
Boosters
It comes as booster jabs for healthcare workers will be considered today when the National Immunisation Advisory Committee meets.
3,500 health staff are out of work due to Covid related illnesses, a figure that's almost doubled in the past 10 days.
The HSE says the issue's putting pressure on the health service. 508 covid patients are in hospital with the virus and 93 are in ICUs.
