COVID-19 - Information for Key Workers

Friday 20^th March 2020

Dear Parent/Carer,

As you know, schools have been directed to close their doors to pupils to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. School is CLOSED TO PUPILS FOR THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY. However, yesterday evening, the Education Minister informed schools that we should open to provide care to children of ‘Key Workers.’ (A list of Key Workers as defined by the Department of Education is provided on the second page below.)

I need you to contact reception by phone by 4pm today if you believe you are a key worker and intend to send your child to school on Monday 23^rd March. Please consider the following:

• Both parents would have to be key workers with both parents at work at the same time.
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• In single parent families, the individual parent must be a key worker.
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• Children can only be sent to school as a last resort. (We must try to minimise children’s contact with each other. This is extremely important to stop the spread of the virus.)
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• We are being told not to have unnecessary contact with each other. Being at school will increase the rise of exposure to the virus.

There are two scenarios which would mean that we cannot open at all. 

1. Some members of staff are self-isolating and some are in the ‘vulnerable’ health category. It is possible that we might not have sufficient staff to open on some days. 

1. We have a limited supply of hygiene supplies i.e. hand sanitiser, soap, paper towels etc.. Supply chains of these in-demand items are interrupted and if we run out, we cannot open. 

This is an ever-evolving situation and I will be in touch with further information as soon as I receive it. 

May God bless you and everyone in your families.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Mary Redmond (Principal)

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According to the Education Minister, the following outlines the broad categories of what would be defined as a key worker:

• Health and Social Care. This includes doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, home carers and staff required to maintain our health and social care sector. 

• Education and childcare. This includes nursery and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who will remain active during the Covid-19 response. 

• Public safety and national security. This includes civilians and officers in the police (including key contractors), Fire and Rescue Service, prison service and other national security roles. 

• Transport. This will include those keeping air, water, road and rail transport modes operating during the Covid-19 response.

• Utilities and Communication. This includes staff needed for oil, gas, electricity and water (including sewage) and primary industry supplies, to continue during the Covid-19 response, as well as key staff in telecommunications, post and delivery, services and waste disposal. 

• Food and other necessary goods. This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution and sale, as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (e.g hygiene, medical etc). 

• Other workers essential to delivering key public services.