Advice to all parents and carers (and pupils where age appropriate) - COVID-19 single confirmed case
Advice to all parents and carers (and pupils where age appropriate) - COVID-19 single confirmed case
Dear parents and carers/pupils,
We have been advised that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the setting.
We are working closely with the Norfolk Outbreak Management Team at Norfolk County Council and continue to be vigilant for any other cases. This letter is to inform you of the current situation and provide advice on how to support your child.
Those children and staff members who have been in direct prolonged contact with the confirmed case will have received an individual letter advising them to self-isolate in line with the national guidance. If you have not received a letter identifying your child as a close contact your child is not advised to self-isolate on account of the case in the school. This letter is for your information only.
The setting remains open to the children of critical workers and providing your child remains well they can continue to attend as normal. We will keep this under review if there are any further developments.
What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID-19
Although your child has not been identified as a close contact, I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with general information on COVID-19.
If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19, they should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when their symptoms appeared and you should inform the school. We would also recommend getting a test as soon as possible. Information on testing is available via the links below or by calling NHS 119. Please be reassured that for most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
https://www.justonenorfolk.nhs.uk/test-trace
http://www.nnuh.nhs.uk/our-services/covid-19-testing-key-workers/
All other household members must also stay at home and not leave the house for 10 days. The 10-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.
By household members staying at home for 10 days you will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community.
If you are able you should, 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
Further information on isolation is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance
If your child is isolating due to developing symptoms themselves, or due the household isolation or being identified as a close contact please let us know as soon as possible in the same way you normally report absence. This will help us to take the right precautions at the setting.
If their test is negative they can return to school when they are well and the other household members can also return to their normal routine.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
- a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a 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)
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
If your child or anyone in the household does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/ 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
- Follow the guidance on social distancing
- wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
- use hand sanitiser 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 is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Yours sincerely
Chris Read
Headteacher