COVID-19

Changes to measures and guidance for managing COVID-19 in education and childcare settings from Friday 1 April

Updated guidance is as follows:

Updated NHS COVID-19 symptoms lists

The NHS COVID-19 symptoms in adults and symptoms in children have been updated.

Adults and children who have symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19, should follow the UKHSA guidance. Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where they can. They can go back to school, college or childcare and resume normal activities when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough to attend.

Children and Young People aged 18 and under

The guidance is clear that children should now return to school when they feel better and no longer have a high temperature. If your child has mild symptoms, such as a runny nose or slight cough, and they feel well enough, they should continue to attend school.

The Government recommends that children are NOT tested for COVID-19, unless directed by a health professional. If your child has a positive COVID-19 test result, they should stay at home and not come to school, or have contact with others outside of the home, for three days after the day they took the test. After three days, if they feel well and do not have a high temperature, the risk of passing the infection on to others is much lower; this is because children tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults. Your child can then return to school.

Children who live with someone who has a positive COVID-19 test result should continue to attend school as normal.

As we learn to live safely with COVID-19, there are actions we can all take to reduce the risk of catching COVID-19 and passing it on to others. If your child feels unwell, as with other illnesses, they should stay at home, get plenty of rest and fluids and use medication, such as paracetamol, to help with symptoms.

When deciding whether or not your child should attend school, please use the same judgement as you would for any other infectious condition.

Adults 

Adults should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if they have symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19, and you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people, until you no longer have a high temperature (if you had one) or until you no longer feel unwell.

What to do if you have a positive COVID-19 test result

Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people

If you have a positive COVID-19 test result, it is very likely that you have COVID-19 even if you do not have any symptoms. You can pass on the infection to others, even if you have no symptoms.

Many people with COVID-19 will no longer be infectious to others after 5 days. If you have a positive COVID-19 test result, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days after the day you took your test. There is different advice for children and young people aged 18 and under.

During this period there are actions you can take to reduce the risk of passing COVID-19 on to others.

 In line with the Government's document Living with Covid-19, we will continue to adopt safer behaviours to reduce the risk of infection:

1. Ensuring schools remain well-ventilated

2. Allowing face coverings to be worn if an individual so wishes

3. Encouraging personal responsibility by asking those clearly unwell to stay at home to reduce infection rates

4. Encouraging everyone to wash their hands regularly 

I realise that for some the ending of Covid-19 regulations will be daunting but working together, as we have done throughout the pandemic, will enable us to navigate our return to normality as smoothly as possible.