3.3% of primary school pupils in Tipperary are sick with Covid-19 according to the INTO’s latest Snapshot survey.
3,100 school principals were contacted between November 16th and November 18th, and 877 responses were recieved.
Of the nearly 900 schools that responded, the highest positivity rate was in Waterford at 4.1%.
In Tipparary, the positivity rate was lower at 3.3%.
‘creaking at the seams’
Responding to the findings of the survey in respect of Covid-19 infection in primary schools, INTO General Secretary John Boyle said: “Our snapshot survey shines a light on a primary education system that is creaking at the seams.
“Soaring transmission levels are an indictment of the premature removal of testing and contact tracing from our primary schools, and of the frustrating failure to move quickly to deploy antigen testing.”
The INTO are also warning about the crisis in securing substitute teachers with over 30% of substitutable days not getting covered.
“INTO has been warning about a looming substitution crisis for years. Until such time as all schools in the country have access to a well-resourced supply panel, this crisis, which has been exacerbated by the number of teachers who are on leave because of Covid-19, will continue” Mr Boyle said.
Mr Boyle also said: “It is imperative that the recent commitment by the Minister for Education to engage with the education partners to find solutions to address the substitution crisis is acted upon swiftly.”
For updated and factual Public Health information and advice on COVID-19 Coronavirus, please visit hse.ie/coronavirus or call 1800 700 700
For the latest information on the Covid-19 Vaccine Programme, please visit hse.ie/covid-19-vaccine
