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Respiratory infections including Covid-19

 

Symptoms of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections can include:

  • continuous cough
  • high temperature, fever or chills
  • loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell
  • shortness of breath
  • unexplained tiredness, lack of energy
  • muscle aches or pains that are not due to exercise
  • not wanting to eat or not feeling hungry
  • headache that is unusual or longer lasting than usual
  • sore throat, stuffy or runny nose
  • diarrhoea, feeling sick or being sick

Official updates and school information for parents and carers

Please go directly to the links below for the latest advice from the NHS and the UK Health Security Agency (UK HSA).

What to do if you or your child has symptoms of a respiratory infection 

  • Follow UK HSA 'Guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19, or a positive test result for COVID-19' guidance (link also below).
  • Children and young people with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education setting.
  • 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.
  • All children and young people with respiratory symptoms should be encouraged to cover their mouth and nose with a disposable tissue when coughing and/or sneezing and to wash their hands after using or disposing of tissues.
  • Children and young people who have a positive test result for COVID-19 should not attend the setting for 3 days after the day of the test

Contacting school

  • If your child is unwell or is displaying symptoms of respiratory infection, such as a high temperature, and will not be attending school, please report the absence before 9.15 am by phoning the school office or by using the ParentMail absence reporting mobile app

Home learning 

  • The national approach has now realigned and COVID-19 is now considered one of many respiratory illnesses (see above). Children are expected to be in school unless they are unwell or if they have tested positive for COVID-19, in which case they should isolate for 3 days. Most absences are likely to be for minor ailments which should not give rise to lengthy absences.

    If children do have to stay at home for any reason, please continue with daily reading practise and work on key maths skills such as addition and subtraction facts and multiplication tables, if they are well enough to do so. 

    Should you have any queries, please contact your child's class teacher via the school office. 

Links to further information and current advice

UK Health Security Agency

NHS

Direct medical concerns

Contact NHS 111