- Hand hygiene, cough etiquette, social distancing and general hygiene etiquette will be promoted throughout the school.
- Sanitiser is available throughout the school, e.g. at each entrance, in each classroom, staffroom etc .
- Handwashing facilities are available in all the bathrooms, mainstream classrooms and the staffroom.
- Hand hygiene will be promoted and encouraged, and parents/guardians are asked to support the school in reinforcing this message.
- In accordance with the Department of Education and Skills guidelines, the school will be thoroughly cleaned at least once per day. Particular attention will be focused on frequently touched surfaces – door handles, handrails, chairs/armrests, communal eating areas, sink and toilet facilities.
- All staff will have access to cleaning products and will be required to maintain cleanliness of their own work area.
- Waste will be collected regularly from offices and other areas within
the school. - Where practical, internal doors may be left open to minimise hand
contact with common surfaces. - To ensure that classrooms are well ventilated, windows will be kept
open as often as possible, and will be opened while children are taking
breaks in the playground. - After cleansing, all rooms and public areas in the school will be sanitised every second day with a newly purchased ‘Electrostatic Mister’ (a more elaborate form of a ‘fogger’)
The Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
The children are not required to wear masks or face coverings.
Visors and masks will be provided to staff members.
The guidelines recommend that Staff members wear PPE in the form of face coverings when a physical distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained.
Staff will always wear a face-covering in the following situations:
- Assisting with intimate care needs
- Administration of first aid
- Administration of medicine
- Where a suspected case of COVID-19 is identified while the school is in operation
- Where staff are particularly vulnerable to infection but are not on the list of those categorised as people in very high-risk groups or may be living with those who are in the very high-risk category.
- When staff members have to move between classrooms to support children with learning needs.
Appropriate PPE will be available for dealing with suspected COVID-19 cases, intimate care needs and for first aid. Where staff provide healthcare to children with medical needs in the school environment, they will apply standard precautions as per usual.