For many in Kerry it will be a very difficult Christmas as rising COVID-19 cases has led to many families being forced to self-isolate for 14 days for the Christmas period.
Much of the recent rise in cases in Kerry which have now topped more than 130 cases since last week Tuesday, have been linked to schools in the county with the largest outbreak in Scoil Mhuire in Killorglin, which was officially closed a week earlier by the Department.
Most schools across the county close today (Tuesday) for Christmas holidays but in the past week many have kept children home from school in light of fears about the spread of the virus. In Killorglin dozens of families have been affected by the outbreak but it has also hit other parts of he county as well including Tralee where Presentation Primary sent home a junior infants class early last week following a confirmed case in the school. There has been confirmed cases in almost all of Tralee's schools. Letters were sent to families and children in Presentation Primary from the public health team outlining the required 14-day quarantine to those who are close contacts. The town's secondary schools have also been effected. Such is the increase in Kerry cases in the past week and the demand for testing that Cork Kerry Community Health-Care have issued a statement to members of the Southern Regional Health Forum to remind the public that referrals for tests are only possible via your GP or by a member of the contact tracing team. In a statement they said that appointments are issued via an automated system which sends the time of the appointment by text. Any issues with attendance at the centre must be raised when the referral is being made.