He described now as the "right time" to evolve the approach to contact tracing while maintaining infection prevention and control measures in educational settings.
"We have also seen the associated positivity rate recently decrease from 16% to 5% which is very reassuring," he said. He said children aged 12 or under, who are identified as close contacts in childcare and educational settings or other non-household settings and who are asymptomatic will no longer be required to routinely restrict movements.
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. "At this point in the pandemic, we are all very familiar with the public health advice that will continue to keep us safe, both in school and as we take part in all of the other hobbies and activities that are available to us.