There'll be no contact tracing of close contacts in primary schools or creches as children return to class today.
Kids aged 12 or under who are close contacts and are asymptomatic won't have to restrict their movements.
However children identified as close contacts in Special Educational Needs settings and respite care will still be referred for testing.
The country's largest teacher union, the INTO says however, it doesn't want to have to say ‘we told you so’ to health officials over new contact tracing rules in schools.
The union say it wants the change to be delayed until after the mid-term break in October.
Its General Secretary John Boyle says "I think over the next number of weeks people will get use to the next system - hopefully the new system is going to work.
"But if the numbers go in the wrong direction, I think a lot of parents, a lot of teachers and a lot of us in education will be telling those who made the decision that 'we told you so'.
"Let's wait and see."
While, The head of the HSE says the rules are changing based on the balance of risk.
"The transmission level in school has been much lower than they are in the community but equally, the number of infected children within the school setting are relatively low", says Paul Reid.
