The Acting Chief Medical Officer says there's no "zero risk option" when reopening schools during Covid-19.
But in an open letter, Dr Ronan Glynn has sought to reassure parents that the rewards of being back in education outweigh the risks.
He says international evidence shows transmission between children and from children to adults is uncommon and in the majority of cases a child's symptoms are mild.
Chief Nursing Officer at the Department of Health, Rachel Kenna, says the decision to reopen schools wasn't taken lightly.