Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Information for parents and carers

What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
One, or more, of the following:
 High temperature – this means feeling hot to touch on the chest or back
 New, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
 Loss of change to smell or taste – meaning not being able to smell or taste anything or things smell or taste different to normal

What should I do if my child has these symptoms?
If your child (or anyone who lives in the same household as your child) has any of these symptoms, you:
 Must not send your child (or any children in your household) to school. If your child develops these symptoms whilst at school, they will be sent home
 Inform the school as soon as possible
 Get a test for your child (and any of your household who have these symptoms)
 Make sure that your child self-isolates straight-away: Stay at home and stay at home - easy read
 All household contacts should also isolate

When must my child stay away from school (or be sent home from school?)

Your child must stay away from school (or will be sent home from school) if:
 They have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms;
 Have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) in the last 10 days;
 Are in a household (or support bubble) with individuals who have been tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) in the last 14 days;
 Have been contacted through the NHS Test and Trace programme and been advised to stay at home.
 They are a close contact of a confirmed case (either within the school or from outside of the school) – they will need to isolate for 14 days.
 

How long should my child self-isolate for?

Below are different examples and scenarios for self-isolation:
Example 1: Your child has COVID-19 symptoms but hasn’t had a test yet or doesn’t get a test
• Your child must self-isolate for 10 days from when their symptoms first started. They cannot return to school within this time-frame even if these symptoms stop. After the 10 days, they may return to school if well, and have not had symptoms for 48 hours.
• If your child then tests positive, they must continue to self-isolate for 10 days after their symptoms first started. All household contacts will also need to isolate for 14 days.

Example 2: Your child has COVID-19 symptoms but the test result is negative
• Inform your school of the outcome (negative) of the test result.
• Your child can return to school when well. If they have had a high temperature, they can return to school 48 hours after their high temperature has lowered and returned to normal.
• Other members of your household can stop self-isolating (unless they are a contact of someone else tested positive – see example 4).

Example 3: Your child tests positive for COVID-19
• Inform your school of the outcome (positive) of the test result.
• Following this positive test result, you will receive a request by text, email or phone to log into the NHS Test and Trace service website and provide information about recent close contacts.
• Your child must self-isolate for 10 days from when their symptoms first started.
• After that 10 day isolation, your child can return to school if COVID-19 symptoms have gone and they are am well. If they had a high temperature, they can return to school after that 10 day isolation and 48 hours after their high temperature has lowered and returned to normal.
• All household contacts will also need to isolate for 14 days.

Example 4: Your child is a contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 (e.g. in school context as shown on previous slide or anyone in or outside their household)
• Your child must self-isolate for 14 days from when they were in contact with the person who tested positive. The reason for longer self-isolation is to allow for the incubation period.
• If your child then has a test and the test is negative, they still need to isolate for 14 days.
• If they develop symptoms and test positive for COVID-19 test, then example 3 “over-rides” example 4 and so their self-isolation is re-set to be 10 days from when their own symptoms first started (see example 3).

How can my children (or others) get a coronavirus test and where do we go?
You do not need to go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Tests can be accessed:
 On-line through online portal or
 By phoning 119 (lines are open 7am to 11pm)
The local testing options are:
 Ricoh Regional Testing Centre - drive through testing – via online portal or 119.
 Moat Street Car Park – mobile testing unit – drive through – via online portal or 119.
 Broad Street, Foleshill (next to Broad Street Surgery) – local testing service – walk in – via online portal (but will also take people who turn up) or 119.
 Home testing – via the online portal.

We recommend using a testing site options (Ricoh Regional Testing Centre, Moat Street Car Park or Broad Street, Foleshill) for a quicker process.