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Dear parents and guardians,
This is an important letter to share some information on how we can work together to make sure we can continue to give children and young people the best education in the safest way possible.
One important part of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of pupils, parents and our communities is testing for coronavirus. We all have a duty to make sure that the right people have access to get tested at the right time. Every time a test is used inappropriately, a person with Covid-19 symptoms may miss out on getting tested.
Therefore, I ask that you all follow these principles:
▪ You should only book a test if your child has any of these three coronavirus symptoms:
1. a high temperature: any new high temperature where your child feels hot to touch on their chest or back (you do not need to measure the temperature)
2. a new continuous cough: coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
3. a loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste: a noticeable loss of smell or taste or things smell and taste different to normal
▪ Your child does not need a test if they have a runny nose, are sneezing or feeling unwell but do not have a temperature, cough or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste because these are not normally symptoms of coronavirus.
▪ If you are unsure about whether to get a test, please check the official list of symptoms on the NHS website, which is reviewed regularly: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/
▪ Only the person with symptoms should get a test. You do not need to get a test for anyone else in the household unless they also have any of the three symptoms listed above. All members of the household need to self-isolate whilst waiting for the test result.
▪ If the person with symptoms’ test comes back positive, other members of their household should continue self-isolating for 14 days and only get a test if they develop coronavirus symptoms.
▪ If a pupil in a class or bubble tests positive for coronavirus, anyone who is advised to self-isolate does not require a test unless they subsequently develop symptoms.
No one else in the same class or bubble as the symptomatic person needs to take any action unless advised by the school. Schools have detailed guidance and access to a Department for Education and Public Health England helpline for advice and support.
Contacts of a person who has tested positive must follow the guidance carefully and in full, which means they must stay at home for 14 days. This is because it can take several days following contact with an infected person before an individual develops symptoms or the virus can be detected. Students should only book a test if they get symptoms.
The NHS has produced some guidance to help parents understand when their child can and cannot attend school which you may find useful: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
It is vital for children’s learning and future opportunities that they are able to return to school and college. It is therefore vitally important that all we work together and do our bit to make this possible.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Viv Bennett CBE Chief Nurse and Director Maternity and Early Years | Public Health England
Head of World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Public Health Nursing and Midwifery
Follow me on Twitter: @VivJBennett
Dr Susan Hopkins
Interim Chief Medical Officer | NHS Test & Trace
Deputy Director | Public Health England
Consultant in Infectious Diseases & Microbiology
Royal Free, London
Dear Parent,
We have been advised that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school.
We have carried out a full risk assessment and identified all those who have been in close contact with the affected case and have recommended that they stay at home and self-isolate until 14 days after their last contact.
Your child has not been identified as a close contact and therefore does not need to make any change to their usual routine, including school attendance.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are recent onset of a new continuous cough and/or a high temperature and/or a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia). If your child, or anyone in your household, develops these symptoms, you whole household must remain at home and not go to work, school or public areas. You should arrange testing for the person who has developed symptoms. When the result is known further advice will be available.
Testing can be arranged by calling 119 or via the NHS website: nhs.uk/coronavirus
How to stop COVID-19 spreading
There are things we can all do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19:
wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
wash your hands as soon as you get home
cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
Further information
Further information is available at nhs.uk/coronavirus
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.