The trade union representing primary school teachers has called for an immediate review of measures to address what it says are soaring transmission levels in the sector following the removal of public health supports in late September.
The INTO has said the cessation since then of public health assessments and the publication of weekly reports detailing infection levels "has concealed the escalation of positive case numbers among pupils and staff".
Appearing to blame the removal of contact tracing for the subsequent rise in cases among primary age children the union's General Secretary John Boyle said: "It simply cannot be a coincidence that the number of 5–12-year-old children contracting the virus has trebled since crucial public health