CSO records show in last 4 weeks there were 411 cases associated with outbreaks in schools (8.4%); 381 in childcare facilities (7.8%) *BOTH* higher than hospitals, nursing homes, residential institutions etc. however no mention of schools or childcare in their overview. WHY? 1/

Interestingly the median age for cases associated with outbreaks has been consistently dropping - especially since schools reopened from age 37 to 21 - AND cases associated with social gatherings have dropped since schools reopened (but, you know - playdates) 2/

Furthermore (in the last 4 weeks) weekly cases associated with outbreaks in schools/childcare in the HPSC reports [N=252] DO NOT MATCH the figures in the CSO report [N=411] even though HPSC reports also include late notifications.
See below and calculate yourself.
3/

I can't analyse cases in schools because Wk13 report wasn't published last week BUT *if* they do match CSO data this should mean there were 133 close contact cases in schools last week WITH schools closed.
If the figures don't match that's another problem 4/

CSO do not appear to use the same epidemiological days/dates as HPSC (Sun - Sat) so this may account for some figures not calculating but surely not in the hundreds!!
(Also - should not all statutory agents use the regulatory dates for data?) 5/

I think it is now extremely important that clarity is provided to all members of the public in relation to cases associated with outbreaks in schools because the DES, NPHET, HSE, HPSC keep saying transmission is low however CSO data would suggest very differently.
*ENDS*

Links to Reports:
CSO: https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/br/b-cdc/covid-19deathsandcasesseries28/
HPSC Schools: https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/newsfeatures/covid19-updates/covid-19-schools-mass-testing-report.html
HPSC Outbreaks: https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/surveillance/covid-19outbreaksclustersinireland/