24th March 2020
Dear Parents,
The department of education and skills has advised to-day that all schools including Scoil Mhuire will be closed till April 20th.The Teachers are currently working on updating their worksheets for next week. These will be available in classes section on website this Friday. Teachers are also working collaboratively on uploading some lessons for distance learning which will be available shortly on website.
12th March, 2020
Dear Parents,
Please find below email sent from Department of Education and Skills in relation to school closure from 6p.m. March 12th until March 29th. Please be advised that work has been uploaded to the classes section of the website for your child while the school is closed. I hope to see you all back safe and healthy on the 30th of March.
Le gach dea ghuí,
Ms. O’ Kelly
12 March, 2020
STATEMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SKLLS
An announcement was made this morning by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD of the closure of schools, pre-schools and further and higher education settings, for a period until 29 March 2020, to support efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19. This will take effect from 6pm this evening, Thursday 12 March.This is in line with the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team.
All pupils and students, from pre-school to third level are urged to practice social distancing, and to minimise physical contact with each other, to help avoid the spread of Covid-19. This should include minimising social contact, avoiding meeting up and keeping physical space between them. Parents and guardians are urged to support their children to maintain this approach.
In order to minimise the impact on teaching and learning, all schools will be asked to continue to plan lessons and, where possible, provide online resources for students or online lessons where schools are equipped to do so. Schools are asked to be conscious of students that may not have access to online facilities and to consider this actively in their response.
Schools are asked to prioritise supporting exam classes to continue to prepare for State examinations.
Physical classes in universities and higher education facilities will not be held during the closure. Institutions can make other arrangements for teaching and learning and other activities in line with their business continuity plans and contingency planning.
Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD said:
“I am deeply conscious of the impact that school and education setting closures have on students, on families and on the wider community. This is a necessary and proportionate measure that we are taking as a pro-active measure to help contain the threat of Covid-19.
“This is the right decision at the right time. It is taken in the best interests of our children, our young people, our school and college communities and our wider society.
“At this point in time the closure is planned for two weeks, from tomorrow until 29 March. The Government, in conjunction with the public health authorities, will keep the situation under ongoing review. Any change to that date will be communicated widely.
“Pupils should take their books and learning materials home with them this evening.
“This is a very challenging time for our pupils, our teachers, our students and our colleagues in further and higher education.
“Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine – we all live in one another’s shadow. If there was ever a time for us to appreciate how closely we are connected, how much what we do matters to others, how much we rely on each other, this is it. This is a time where we all need to work together for the best possible outcome for our students. The support of everyone across the sector is vital, as we all strive to ensure that this threat is dealt with as effectively as possible.”
The Department of Education and Skills will remain open and will continue to provide supports to the education sector at this time.
The Department of Education and Skills has been liaising closely on a continual basis with the Department of Health in relation to Coronavirus/Covid-19 since early January. This will continue.
ENDS
Contacts:
Pearse O’Caoimh
Department of Education and Skills Press office
T +353(0)1 8892304
Pearse Ó Caoimh
Higher Executive Officer — Communications.
__
An Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna
Department of Education and Skills
Sráid Maoilbhríde, Baile Átha Cliath, D01 RC96.
Marlborough Street, Dublin, D01 RC96.
__
T +353(0)1 8892304
March 11th
Dear Parents/Guardians,
The Department of Education and Skills and the HSE have asked to distribute the following email and attachment to all families with information on “Talking to children and young people about Covid19”
Kind Regards,
Ms. O’ Kelly
Dear all,
We would like to direct your attention to updated guidance issued this morning on talking to children and young people about Covid-19.
You can access and download this guidance in both Irish and English from the Department of Education and Skills website below under the heading ‘Talking to children and young people about Covid-19’.
Please ensure that all staff, parents, and other interested parties receive this update.
We would also like to direct your attention to a child-friendly interview that Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn did with RTÉ’s new2day programme last week, that may also be a useful resource when talking about Covid-19 with children and students.
Thank you for your assistance, and please get in touch if you have any further enquiries.
Pearse Ó Caoimh
Higher Executive Officer — Communications.
__
An Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna
Department of Education and Skills
Sráid Maoilbhríde, Baile Átha Cliath, D01 RC96.
Marlborough Street, Dublin, D01 RC96.
__
T +353(0)1 8892304
***************************************************************************************************************
Polasaí ríomhphoist agus séanadh na Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna
Department of Education and Skills email policy and disclaimer
https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/272439-seanadh-riomhphoist-email-disclaimer/
***************************************************************************************************************
Seirbhís den scoth á cur ar fáil don Stát agus do mhuintir na hÉireann
Providing a world-class service to the State and to the people of Ireland
http://www.per.gov.ie/civil-service-renewal/
Dear Parents,
Like all schools, Scoil Mhuire is playing its part to combat Covid-19. This week all the children have been instructed on safe hand hygiene by teachers and hand hygiene posters are visible in all bathrooms. Wall mounted hand sanitisers have been put up throughout the school also. Good practice for coughing and sneezing is reinforced by teachers and posters are visible throughout the school. Please reinforce these important messages at home too. Our cleaner is also ensuring that extra measures are being taken to protect pupils and staff. Children with any form of sickness should always be kept at home until they have recovered. This is our advice all throughout the year. Given the young age of our children we are responding in a sensible and calm manner. The Department of Health have asked all schools to send their most recent information letter and email out to parents which you will find below. More information and advice on Covid-19 is available at www.hse.ie
Is mise le meas,
Ms. O’ Kelly
Dear all,
Further to our correspondence this morning, the Department of Education and Skills has received an updated letter for all schools from the Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health, Dr Tony Holohan, addressing the recent school closure as a result of the confirmed Covid-19 case.
The letter is attached here and is also available on our website below under the heading, ‘Chief Medical Officer advice for parents and schools.
https://www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Announcements/information-for-schools-preschools-and-third-level-institutions-on-the-coronavirus.html’
Please ensure that parents and other interested parties receive this update. Thank you for your assistance and please get in touch if you have any further enquiries.
Pearse Ó Caoimh Higher Executive Officer — Communications.
An Roinn Sláinte Department of Health
Advice from the Chief Medical Officer to Parents of School & Pre School
2 March, 2020,
Dear Parents,
You will be aware that following the identification of a confirmed case of Covid-19 in the east of the country, a secondary school will close for 14 days, the duration of the Covid-19 incubation period. Pupils and teachers at that school have been asked to restrict their movements, avoiding crowded settings and any large events, including sporting events, over that time period.
I understand the concern arising from this decision, which was not taken lightly.
The decision to close the school for 14 days is a precautionary one and arises because pupils and teachers may have had direct with the confirmed case.
However, siblings not attending the school concerned, parents and other members of the community are not regarded as contacts and can continue their daily routine as normal.
While there is much to learn about Covid-19, we do know that:
More than 80% of people who have contracted the virus have experienced it in a mild form and generally recover in of 2 – 3 weeks, while 20% experience a more severe form of the disease, this tends to be associated with older age (greater than 60 years old and having other health issues, e.g. heart disease).
As with influenza, the people most at risk are the elderly and those with underlying illness
Covid-19 does not to appear to be as infectious as some other diseases – while a person with measles typically passes the virus on to 14 other people, with Covid-19 that number is estimated between two and three.
Covid-19 is spread through close contact with an infected person’s body fluids (e.g. droplets from coughing or sneezing), or by touching surfaces that an infected person has coughed or sneezed on.
Bloc 1, Plaza Míseach, 50 – 58 Sráid Bhagóid lochtarach, Baile Átha Cliath 2, D02 XW14 Block 1, Miesian Plaza, 50 – 58 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2, DO2 XW14 T +353 1 635 4000 | info@health.gov.ie www.health.gov.ie
Current information suggests the Covid-19 virus may survive a few hours on surfaces and can be killed with simple household disinfectants.
The most important action we can take to protect ourselves from Covid-19 is regular hand-washing and good cough/sneeze hygiene.
Finally, I want to reassure you that the Health Services prioritise patient confidentiality in all cases. Our priority is to create an environment where people feel safe and protected when coming forward to seek medical help.
To this end we will not reveal patient details other than the gender, general location (east, west, north, south of Ireland) and the source of the infection. We have called, therefore, on the media to respect patient confidentiality.
Attached is a list of Frequently Asked Questions and there is further information available at www.hse.ie.
Yours
Dr Tony Holohan Chief Medical Officer Department of Health
COVID–19 (Coronavirus)
Covid–19 Covid-19 is a novel (new) virus, not previously seen in humans, identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The first cases were identified in people working in a seafood and live animal market in Wuhan. It is thought that humans picked up the virus from animals at the market. Covid-19 is spread – directly, through contact with an infected person’s body fluids (e.g. droplets from
coughing or sneezing) indirectly, through contact with surfaces that an infected person has coughed or
sneezed on and which are, therefore, contaminated with the virus. Current information suggests the virus may survive a few hours. Simple household disinfectants can kill the virus.
Covid-19 – Symptoms – a cough
shortness of breath
breathing difficulties – fever (high temperature)
Covid-19 – Treatment While there is no specific treatment for the virus many of the symptoms can be treated. If you or your child get the virus, your healthcare professional will advise treatment based on your symptoms.
Close contact Close contact, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), involves either face to face contact or spending more than 15 minutes within 2 metres of an infected person. The risk of transmission through casual contact, e.g. passing by on the street or in a shop, is low.
Close contact – advice for parents, siblings, housemates, workmates People who share living or work space with individuals classified as a close contact of a confirmed case should carry on their daily routines as normal – these individuals have not themselves had close contact with a confirmed case.
Contact Tracing In the event of a confirmed case, a clinician will speak to the patient to gather details of places they visited and the people they’ve been in contact with since they became unwell or, in the case of international travellers, since they arrived in Ireland. This will provide a detailed picture of the people we need to contact, such as family members, colleagues or fellow travellers.
This list of people will be contacted with instruction and advice on what to do if they become symptomatic.
If a member of the contact list becomes symptomatic, we isolate and test this individual and provide treatment, if confirmed.
NB: A close contact involves either face to face contact or spending more than 15 minutes within 2 metres of an infected person. We do not contact trace persons that may have passed by on the street or in a shop. The risk of contact in that instance is very low.
Patient confidentiality The Department of Health recognises and appreciates the public’s need and desire for reliable information and is committed to providing clear, accurate and up-to-date information on Covid-19, so that the public can take appropriate personal preventative measures, such as those described on the HSE website.
It is equally important to balance this commitment to clarity and transparency against the obligation to protect individuals from potential stigmatisation and discrimination. This is achieved by respecting individual privacy as far as possible, while ensuring that all necessary information directly relevant to the public good is shared in a timely manner.
It is in the public interest not to disclose personal information which could negatively impact upon a person’s willingness to disclose symptoms suggestive of Covid-19.
Restricted Movement Individuals who have had close contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19 are asked to restrict their movements for 14 days, the incubation period of the virus. These people are deemed to be well, however public health officials will follow up with them on a daily basis, and in the event that they develop symptoms, they will be tested.
Restricted movement means avoiding crowded settings and large gatherings, for example concerts and sporting events.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.