The Times reports that last week saw the highest number of people returning to work since the Covid-19 crisis began in March.

Meanwhile, ICTU have published this piece on the Lead Worker Representative in the workplace.

A new ESRI study predicts a sharp rise in economic harm to children if Covid-19 job losses persists. The research highlights trends in child poverty during the Great Recession of 2008 and simulates the effect of recent Covid-19-related job losses alongside emergency income support measures on child income poverty in 2020.

RTE reports that children who are living in Direct Provision are experiencing a lack of privacy and space in their accommodation as well as discrimination and racism in the community. The findings are published in a report by the Ombudsman for Children's Office, which conducted interviews with young people living in Direct Provision.

The Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) has said that additional funding must be provided to schools to enable them to implement in full the Department of Education guidelines for reopening. In a submission to the Oireachtas Covid-19 committee, chief executive of IPPN  also said special schools would “face huge challenges in reopening their school buildings in September”.

The Echo says that it will take until October to clear the backlog of cervical smear testing that built up while it was shut down for the Covid-19 pandemic. The testing programme restarted yesterday after 17 weeks of a suspension.

A large-scale study into Covid-19 in Spain has found that only 5% of the population has antibodies - nowhere near the levels needed to achieve herd immunity. 

And finally, our next Wellness Wednesday webinar takes place at 1pm tomorrow when psychotherapist and emotional eating specialist Emma Murphy talks with rugby pundit and psychotherapist Brent Pope about eating habits. See more here.

The Kinks bring us our zen this morning with 'Sunny Afternoon'. Given the yellow weather warning in place for the West it may be the only bit of sun many of us experience today.

Have a good day folks.