AQW 22115/17-22

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 09/09/2021
Answered On Date: 07/10/2021
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health why the advice presented on the NI Direct and Department of Education web sites diverges from the guidance given to schools concerning Contact Tracing deriving from the Public Health Agency; and how consistent this is with the advice on testing, tracing and isolating concerning children of school age from the Department of Health.

Answer:

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is the responsible body for contact tracing in schools. The guidance provided by the PHA is therefore the primary source of information for operational detail regarding contact tracing in schools.

The Department of Education has advised that it has updated its Guidance to Schools and Educational Settings to ensure alignment with PHA processes.

The advice on NI Direct has also been updated to ensure alignment with PHA processes.