If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19 or tests positive for COVID-19
If your child develops symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), they should get a PCR test (https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or call 119) and remain at home at least until the result is known and they are fever free (without medication) for at least 24 hours.
- If negative, the child can end self-isolation and return to College once well;
- If positive, the child should isolate as a positive case (see below)
People who test positive for COVID-19 should self-isolate at home until they are well (48 hours fever free) and either:
- 10 full days have passed, or
- They have produced two negative LFD tests at least 24 hours apart, with the first taken no earlier than day 5.
Note: Lingering coughs and changes to smell/taste are not a sign of ongoing infectiousness, so children can return to school if they have ended their self-isolation period (see above).
If your child does not have symptoms, count the day they took the test as day 0. If they subsequently develop symptoms, they will need to restart their isolation period using the day symptoms developed as day 0.
You can seek advice on COVID-19 symptoms from the nhs.uk website. 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.
You are required to self-isolate if you’re aged over 18 years and 6 months and if any of the following apply:
- You have received only one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine
- You have not received any dose of the COVID-19 vaccination
- You are not otherwise exempt
Household members staying at home for 10 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community.
You could be fined if you do not self-isolate following a notification by NHS Test and Trace. You may be entitled to a one-off payment of £500 through the NHS Test and Trace Support Payment scheme if you are required to stay at home and self-isolate, or you are the parent or guardian of a child who has been told to self-isolate.
How to reduce spread of COVID-19 as a household contact who is not required to self-isolate
Even if you are vaccinated, you can still be infected with COVID-19 and pass it on to others. If you are identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 but you are not required to self-isolate, you can help protect others by following the guidance on how to stay safe and help prevent the spread.
To reduce the spread of COVID-19 in your community:
- Test daily using LFDs
- Limit close contact with other people outside your household, especially in enclosed spaces (when not in College)
- Wear a face covering for those aged 11 and over (from school year 7 onwards) in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces and when you are in close contact with other people
- Limit contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with Covid-19
- Follow the guidance onhow to stay safe and help prevent the spread – GOV.UK (gov.uk)
You should follow this advice for at least 10 days.
If you develop symptoms at any time, even if these are mild, self-isolate immediately, arrange to have a COVID-19 PCR test and follow the guidance for people with COVID-19 symptoms.
How to stop coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading
There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with coronavirus (COVID-19):
- Get vaccinated – everyone aged 12 and over can book COVID-19 vaccination appointments now
- Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day
- 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
- Meet people outside and avoid crowded areas
- Open doors and windows to let in fresh air if meeting people inside
- Wear a face covering if aged 11 and over when it’s hard to stay away from other people – particularly indoors or in crowded places
- Participate in twice weekly LFD testing following national guidelines (recommended for 11 years and over). We encourage you to log your results here: https://www.gov.uk/log-test-site-covid19-results
Further Information
Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
