Advice to All Parents – Potential Single case of COVID-19

Dear Parents,

We have been advised that there is a potential positive case of COVID-19 within the school. Unfortunately the case cannot be confirmed but due to the symptoms that the case is displaying and the fact that they are a close contact of a positive case of COVID-19 outside of school, we have been advised by Public Health that
we should treat this case as a positive case. We are waiting on further guidance from our local public health team and will contact you with further guidance if necessary.

In the meantime, we are following guidance as if this were a confirmed positive case. This is the guidance that must be followed unless we receive further information. We know that you may find this concerning but are continuing to monitor the situation and are working closely with Public Health England. 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.

The small number of children who have been in direct prolonged contact with the case will have received an individual letter and will be staying at home for 14 days. If you have not received individual contact from us then your child has not been identified as having direct prolonged contact.

The school remains open and your child should continue to attend if they remain well.

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, must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. This includes anyone in your ‘Support Bubble’.

Further information is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-
guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill.
Household members should not go to work, school or public areas and exercise should be taken within the home.
If you require help with buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, or walking a dog, you should ask friends or family. Alternatively, you can order your shopping online and medication by phone or online.
Household members staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community.
If you are able, move any vulnerable individuals (such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions) out of your home, to stay with friends or family for the duration of the home isolation period.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:

a new continuous cough
a high temperature
a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)

For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.

If your child does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from the nhs.uk website at
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/.

If you are concerned about your child’s symptoms, or they are worsening you can seek advice from NHS 111 at
https://111.nhs.uk/ 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

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 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

I would like to remind everyone, that the guidance is clear that if anyone displays symptoms of COVID-19, no matter how mild, then they and their household must complete the appropriate self-isolation period until the person with symptoms receives a negative test result.

You must not send your child to school if anyone they live with is displaying symptoms of COVID-19.

You must not send your child to school if they are displaying symptoms of COVID-19, even if they are mild.

If you child develops symptoms of COVID-19 in school then you will be contacted to collect your child
immediately.
Yours sincerely

Amy Findlay
Head of School