Information from parents was key to establishing the extent of a Covid outbreak at a Wexford school.
That's according to the principal of the CBS primary school in Wexford Town, where more than 30 cases have been detected.
CBS primary has made the decision to close the entire school until the 1st of November as a result.
The school has moved to remote learning over concerns about the rate of transmission of the virus in the school.
Principal Vicky Barron says the decision had to be taken to ensure the safety of everyone:
"It is the parent body who have kept us informed and without their supportive and valuable contributions to us and the information they gave us and allowed us to share, we would not know the extent of the cases in our schools."
"The HSE does not recommend that schools inform families."
Meanwhile, Wexford TD Verona Murphy says an outbreak at the Wexford primary school could have been controlled by antigen testing.
Speaking to Beat News, Deputy Murphy says the outbreak showcases that PCR testing is not working when it comes to avoiding school closures:
"The HSE seems to be incapable of making a forthright decision in what to do and they change their mind like the weather."
"Very difficult for teachers to be dealing with and the board, the government and the HSE's attitude to antigen testing is disgraceful, antigen testing is not being rolled out extensively and PCR is too slow to in terms of providing results."
"I think an outbreak could have been controlled."
A teachers' union is calling for public health supports for primary schools to be scaled up.
The Irish National Teachers Organisation wants to see the re-introduction of testing and contact tracing and the expansion of the supply panel for substitute teachers to cover all primary and special schools.
It's also looking for a pilot scheme on antigen testing and a review on the age restriction on face coverings.
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