An immunologist says it’s not surprising that up to 12,000 children are restricting their movements because they’re deemed a close contact of someone with Covid 19.
Around 700 primary schools and 500 secondary schools have reported a covid case.
On average, there are 15 close contacts of someone in primary school and four in secondary.
Professor of Comparative Immunology at Trinity College, Clíona O’Farrelly, says it shows covid is still very prevalent.
"This really emphasises that the virus is still around there.
"99.9% of all those children will be fine, and the infection will pass very quickly, but it causes such disruption."
