Temperature screening at school gates ‘is not necessary’
IRELAND’S decision not to temperature-check children at the school gates is supported by international guidance, the Health Information and Quality Authority has said.
The health watchdog published a review of guidance from 20 countries and two international public health bodies on the identification and management of symptoms of Covid-19 in schools.
It said the review found general agreement across countries that universal health screening, including temperature screening, should not be conducted in schools.
Dr Máirín Ryan, Hiqa’s deputy CEO and director of health technology assessment, said: ‘There was consistent advice across all countries, apart from Singapore, that there should not be routine health screening of children.’
She said this was because it was
‘False sense of security’ feared
resource intensive and would take valuable time out of the school day, as well as it being psychologically difficult for children to be screened daily. She said there was also the worry that a normal temperature could contribute to a false sense of security, as children often have no symptoms or only mild symptoms of Covid, and that it was therefore important that schools continue with their social distancing and other measures.
Hiqa said there was also an agreement that if a child or young person became symptomatic, they should be isolated rapidly.
And it said it was widely recognised that decisions to close schools should not be taken without input from public health authorities, and that such decisions should take account of local levels of community transmission.
Dr Ryan said: ‘There has been limited evidence of child-to-child or child-to-adult transmission of Covid-19. While recognising that transmission can occur, international guidance documents identified in our review have highlighted the potential adverse impact of school closures on children’s social, emotional and behavioural health.
She added: ‘Therefore, it was important that schools could reopen safely, following Government guidelines.
‘The best management of Covid19 in schools is prevention, by ensuring that students and staff who have symptoms suggestive of Covid-19 stay at home, and that everyone practices good respiratory etiquette and performs frequent hand hygiene.
‘Guidelines around physical distancing and face coverings should also be followed, as appropriate.
‘As the current pandemic is evolving, and more evidence emerges, guidance on the management and identification of Covid-19 in schools may need to be updated.’