An infectious disease expert from Clare believes the Government could be playing with fire by reducing the isolation period for those who test positive for Covid-19.
It comes as the three coalition party leaders are due to meet this evening to discuss potentially changing the rules around isolation.
Teachers unions are also meeting with Department of Education Officials today, as Clare FM’s Fiona Cahill reports.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan will consider the current Covid situation, ahead of a full Cabinet meeting tomorrow.
They’ll discuss whether the rules around close contacts or self-isolation periods for confirmed cases need to be changed.
It’s believed many businesses, including here in Clare, are struggling to deal with staffing shortages brought on by Omicron and record infection rates.
Among the measures up for discussion is a potential shortening of the isolation period for those who test positive for Covid-19 from ten to five days.
Head of the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham Professor James McInerney says reducing isolation periods would help mitigate the impact of absenteeisms on the workplace.
However the Sixmilebridge native says that would have to go hand in hand with sufficient availability of high quality testing, which currently isn’t in place in Ireland.
Meanwhile, teachers unions say it’s essential individual schools are allowed to choose how they re-open based on their particular circumstances.
Both the TUI and ASTI will meet with the Minister for Education this afternoon to discuss reopening on Thursday.
The TUI wants schools to be able to make their own choice based on staff availability.
ASTI President Eamon Dennehy says teachers want to see a staggered return to school.
A Clare Senator believes it’s important for schools to remain open to maintain children and young people’s education and social development.
Mountshannon Fianna Fáil Senator Timmy Dooley says isolation changes have already been approved in some other European countries.
