Positive Case Letter - Year 5 and 6 (Who have been in school)
Year 5 and 6 (Who have been in school)
Dear Parent,
We have been advised by Public Health England that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school.
We have identified that your child has been in close contact of the affected child/staff member. As per national guidance, we recommend that your child now stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days
This is 10 days since the last ‘exposure’/contact with the confirmed case. This is because it can take up to 10 days for the symptoms to develop. It is important that we all play our part in reducing spread of infection in our school and community.
If your child is well at the end of this period of self-isolation, they can return to usual activities including back to school. Your child will be expected back at school on Monday 15th March
Other members of your household can continue normal activities provided your child does not develop symptoms within the self-isolation period. Siblings can still attend school, unless there is a positive test, or someone shows symptoms, within the household.
Please refer to ‘Appendix 1: How to stop COVID-19 spreading’ which refers to measures you should take to reduce the spread of COVID-19, especially if you have a household member who is at greater risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19.
You should also be aware of symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, new persistent cough, lack or change of taste/smell), and make sure that if anyone in your household develops these symptoms they should stay at home and ask for a coronavirus test as soon as possible. You should also promptly inform the school. This is summarised in ‘Appendix 2: What to do if your child develops symptoms’.
Please see NHS website for further information on coronavirus.
Yours sincerely
Miss Goodson
Headteacher
Appendix 1: How to stop COVID-19 spreading
If someone you live with is at high risk of severe illness from coronavirus, you should be particularly careful in implementing the following public health measures:
- Ensuring every member of your household washes their hands with soap and water regularly for 20s (or use hand gel sanitiser) and has good respiratory hygiene.
- Aim to keep 2 metres away from vulnerable people you live with and encourage them to sleep in another bed
- Minimise as much as possible the time any vulnerable family members spend in shared spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms and sitting areas, and keep shared spaces well ventilated.
- If you do share a toilet or bathroom with a vulnerable person, it is important that you clean them every time you use them, wiping surfaces you have come into contact with
- Clean and disinfect household surfaces regularly, especially ‘high touch’ surfaces
- Avoid sharing towels with the vulnerable household member
Please also remember general public health measures to reduce the risk of infection in our community by:
· Staying at home as much as possible.
· Staying safe outside your home, including by maintaining social distancing (at least 2 metres) when near people who are not your household members
· Wearing cloth face coverings when in crowded public spaces (e.g. public transport and shops) to protect others.
· Regular hand washing with soap and water regularly for 20s (or use hand gel sanitiser) and good respiratory hygiene.
Appendix 2: What to do if your child develops symptoms
Please be aware of possible symptoms of coronavirus during this period. The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
· fever (greater than 37.8°C)
· new persistent/continuous cough; and/or
· loss or change in sense of taste or smell.
If anyone in your household develops any of these symptoms, however mild, they need to stay at home (10 days for the person with symptoms and 14 days for the rest of the household).
You can seek advice from NHS or by calling 111. The person with symptoms should access testing via the NHS testing website or by phoning 119. Do not wait; ask for a test as soon as possible after symptoms start. If it is your child who is displaying symptoms you can request a test on their behalf. If your child develops coronavirus symptoms, promptly inform the school. If your child tests positive for coronavirus, promptly inform the school.
If anyone in your household develops symptoms, if you can, consider moving 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.
If your child develops coronavirus symptoms, promptly inform the school. If your child tests positive for coronavirus, promptly inform the school