SALONS CALL FOR VAT DROP
However he said that despite the increase in testing, there has “only been a relatively modest” increase in the detection of cases in the school going age group.
“We have also seen the associated positivity rate recently decrease from 16 per cent to 5 per cent which is very reassuring,” he said.
“This is a credit to the infection prevention and control measures being implemented and adhered to by all members of our school communities and I would like to thank everyone who continues to play their part in adhering to the public health measures.”
It came as Taoiseach Micheal Martin said children between the ages of five and 11 could be in line for a COVID-19 jab.
“I have no issue with the principle of vaccinating children as young as five,” Mr Martin said.
“But I would be bound by publichealth guidance in respect of it, because public health will have to weigh up the benefits for the child in respect of receiving the vaccine as opposed to the risks to the child.”
Pfizer and Biontech have said trial results show their COVID-19 vaccine is safe and produced an immune response in children aged five to 11.
The vaccine would be given at a lower dosage than for people over 12, they said.
They plan to submit their data to regulatory bodies in the European Union, the United States and around the world “as soon as possible”.
The trial results are the first of their kind for kids under 12, with a Moderna trial for six to 11-year-olds ongoing.
Earlier, Dr Holohan announced that from today contact tracing of close contacts in childcare facilities and primary education and testing of asymptomatic close contacts in childcare facilities and
HAIRDRESSERS are calling for a reduction in VAT rates and funding to train apprentices as it struggles to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.
The Irish Hairdressers Federation claims the sector is among the hardest-hit during the pandemic due to long closures and a slow recovery due to restrictions on nightlife.
Risk
However Dr Holohan said that given the higher risk of transmission in households, children aged 12 years or under, who are identified as household close contacts, will still be required to restrict movements and be tested, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms.
Public health advice also remains that any child aged 12 years or under who displays symptoms consistent with Covid-19 should rapidly self-isolate, not attend childcare or school or socialise and follow all medical and public health guidance.
Meanwhile, Professor Philip Nolan has dismissed as “untrue nonsense” any suggestions there is a plan to allow children become infected and build immunity.
In a series of tweets, Prof Nolan, who is the Chair of the NPHET Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said there had been 30,000 confirmed cases of Covid in children aged between 5-12.
It came as a further 1,459 confirmed cases of Covid-19 were notified in Ireland yesterday.
At 8am, there were 296 Covidpositive patients in hospital, with 65 being treated in intensive care.
It is calling on the Government to permanently set the VAT rate for the sector at 9 per cent and introduce a flat rate subsidy for trainee hairdressers to address the 7.9 per cent decline in total numbers employed in the sector in 2019.
The IHF claims that taking on young trainees is costing salons up
Nonsense
to €5,000 per trainee per year more than in 2019.
It also wants the Government to extend the staff wage subsidy scheme until the end of 2022 and introduce framework to provide a nationally recognised professional qualification and help salons employ young people who want a career in hairdressing.