Their evaluation was based on loss of education up to early January but pupils have missed another five weeks in school since then and it will be several weeks before most are back. The HSE experts questioned whether the rates of Covid-19 pertaining at the time and related risk to children’s health was sufficient to justify a second round of school closures. They warned then “a further period away from school will have an additional effect on their current and future education prospects. It will compromise their social and psychological well-being.” Ultimately, schools did not reopen in January, even for a limited number of pupils, because of concerns among teachers and special needs assistants about the level of Covid infection.