To inform national efforts in response to COVID-19, HIQA develops evidence summaries and syntheses to answer specific policy questions posed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). This evidence synthesis was used to inform advice provided to NPHET for the following two separate, but related, policy questions.
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Duration of restricted movements following exposure to SARS-CoV-2, and the potential impact of testing
Policy question 1 (advice provided to NPHET 30 September 2020):
Description
‘Does the evidence support the current 14-day duration of restriction of movements for individuals exposed, or potentially exposed, to SARS-CoV-2?’
The advice provided to NPHET in relation to policy question 1 considered the scientific literature on the incubation period for COVID-19, international recommendations and input from the COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group.
Policy question 2 (advice provided to NPHET 21 October 2020):
Description
'Is there a rationale upon which to reduce the current period of restricted movement for close contacts from 14 days? If so, how will any change in guidance intersect with the current testing protocol (that is, a PCR test on day zero and a PCR test on day seven)?"
The advice provided to NPHET in relation to policy question 2 included a modelling exercise, international recommendations, and input from the COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group.
An updated analysis was undertaken at the request of NPHET in January 2021 to assess the potential impact of a number of additional testing scenarios on the duration of restriction of movements