A consultant doctor on the State's Covid-19 Expert Advisory Group has said that the two-metre distancing guideline is "paralysing the country" and that students are being "unfairly compromised" by the continued closure of schools.
In an email seen by Prime Time, the medical consultant also suggested that the EAG work to convince the National Public Health Emergency Team to reduce the recommended distancing to one-metre.
The doctor wrote "...could we try to scientifically convince NPHET that 1m is acceptable with hand hygiene, masks, reduced close contact time etc to allow business & schools to reopen?"
The email was circulated on 20 May to members of the EAG.
The author of the email, who works at a major hospital, also wrote: "I feel as a scientific group and with many EU countries having reopened creches and schools ... it is our advisory role to emphasise the low risk from children, as we will NEVER reach 100% safety....
"We should push for schools to at least try to reopen and reorganise the flow and classes... Children have a right to education and at present the inertia is unfairly compromising" students heading into their final year in schools and universities.
As things stand, the Department of Education does not plan to open schools before September.
The specialist also asked in the email: "How are we going to get HCW [healthcare workers] to return to full time work with non-Covid activity expanding in our hospitals if childcare and schools are not ready?"
Prime Time asked the Department of Health if the Expert Advisory Group had attempted to "scientifically convince" NPHET that one-metre physical distancing is "acceptable" and, if so, how did NPHET respond.
In response, the department said: "On the topic of physical distancing, and at NPHETs request, the EAG submitted advice" over two months ago, on 16 March. "The advice, that at least 1 metre, but ideally 2 metres is maintained between people, especially in the context of keeping distance from symptomatic individuals, was approved and adopted," the department said.
"The guidance on 2 metre distancing is continuously open to review, as with any other measure, as new evidence emerges."
The Expert Advisory group has over 25 members, mainly medical specialists and scientists.
When it was set up in early February, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said that the group "will monitor and review national and international research and developments in relation to coronavirus ... and provide expert advice to the National Public Health Emergency Team, the Health Service Executive and others".
