There are three confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the school. We know that you may find this concerning but are continuing to monitor the situation. This letter is to inform you of the current situation and provide advice on how to support your child. Please be reassured that for most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
Under new government guidance, children under 18 years and 6 months who are identified as close contacts of a positive case no longer have to self-isolate but are advised to get a PCR test (unless they have tested positive in the last 90 days, or are aged 4 and under, in which case they are only advised to get a PCR test if they live in a household where someone else has coronavirus). NHS Test & Trace is now responsible for all contact tracing, rather than schools and will contact you directly if your child is a close contact. Further guidance is available here: Guidance for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection who do not live with the person - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The school remains open and your child should continue to attend if they remain well. You do not need to take any action unless contacted by NHS Test & Trace, but adults and secondary school aged children are encouraged to undertake twice weekly lateral flow testing Regular rapid lateral flow coronavirus (COVID-19) tests - NHS (www.nhs.uk). Lateral flow testing is not recommended for primary school aged children.
What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID 19
If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19, they must not come to school and should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when their symptoms appeared. Anyone with symptoms will be eligible for testing and this can be arranged via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or by calling 119.
All other household members who remain well no longer have to self-isolate, as long as they are fully vaccinated (defined as having received the recommended doses of a MHRA-approved vaccination in the UK, with the last dose being at least 14 days before the exposure to COVID-19), medically exempt from vaccination, or aged under 18 years and six months: Stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
However, we would ask you to err on the side of caution in current circumstances. We have many children in school who are under the weather, with cold like symptoms. Although the majority of these will be exactly what they seem – a common cold – you may wish to consider taking them for a PCR test. As children, and adults, have not been exposed to these common viruses for some time, they are spreading rapidly and really making people feel quite poorly. Please consider whether your child could do with rest to fight their illness and time away from school to stop it spreading.
For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
If your child or anyone in the household does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/ or by phoning 111.
How to stop COVID-19 spreading
There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19.
Further Information
Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
I have written this update to inform you of the changing situation with regards to managing Covid-19 within schools. Schools have been advised that it is not necessary to inform parents of every future individual case of Covid-19 which is reported at school. However, please be assured that I am keeping a very close overview of the situation and if cases were to escalate, further controls would be promptly introduced to the school, in liaison with the local health protection team.