Exciting News! – we have a new member of the team
We are delighted to welcome Kelly Spence to our team today in the role of HR Business Partner. We are all really looking forward to working with Kelly.
Covid-19 Update for Schools – 1 April 2022
Summary
- The Schools Covid-19 operational guidance has been withdrawn with effect from 1st April.
- New guidance has been issued Emergency planning and response for education, childcare, and children’s social care settings
- This new guidance does not deal with Covid-19 but covers:-
- How to make an emergency plan including a template and guidance.
- Significant public health incidents.
- Severe weather.
- Security related incidents
- The Covid guidance is now incorporated in further new guidance relating to respiratory infections issued today:-
What to do if you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19, and have not taken a COVID-19 test
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people
If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19, and you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people, until you no longer have a high temperature (if you had one) or until you no longer feel unwell.
It is particularly important to avoid close contact with anyone who you know is at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell if they are infected with COVID-19 and other respiratory infections, especially those whose immune system means that they are at higher risk of serious illness, despite vaccination.
Try to work from home if you can. If you are unable to work from home, talk to your employer about options available to you.
What to do if you have a positive COVID-19 test result
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people
If you have a positive COVID-19 test result, it is very likely that you have COVID-19 even if you do not have any symptoms. You can pass on the infection to others, even if you have no symptoms.
Many people with COVID-19 will no longer be infectious to others after 5 days. If you have a positive COVID-19 test result, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days after the day you took your test. There is different advice for children and young people aged 18 and under.
During this period there are actions you can take to reduce the risk of passing COVID-19 on to others.
Try to work from home if you can. If you are unable to work from home, talk to your employer about options available to you.
If you have been asked to attend a medical or dental appointment in person, contact your healthcare provider and let them know about your positive test result.
What to do if you are a close contact of someone who has had a positive test result for COVID-19
People who live in the same household as someone with COVID-19 are at the highest risk of becoming infected because they are most likely to have prolonged close contact. People who stayed overnight in the household of someone with COVID-19 while they were infectious are also at high risk.
If you are a household or overnight contact of someone who has had a positive COVID -19 test result it can take up to 10 days for your infection to develop. It is possible to pass on COVID-19 to others, even if you have no symptoms.
You can reduce the risk to other people by taking the following steps:
- avoid contact with anyone you know who is at higher risk of becoming severely unwell if they are infected with COVID-19, especially those whose immune system means they are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, despite vaccination
- limit close contact with other people outside your household, especially in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces
- wear a well-fitting face covering made with multiple layers or a surgical face mask if you do need to have close contact with other people, or you are in a crowded place
- wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitiser
If you develop symptoms of a respiratory infection try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people and follow the guidance for people with symptoms.
If you are a contact of someone with COVID-19 but do not live with them or did not stay in their household overnight, you are at lower risk of becoming infected. There is guidance on protecting yourself and others in living safely with respiratory infections, including COVID-19.
Children and young people aged 18 years and under who have a positive test result
It is not recommended that children and young people are tested for COVID-19 unless directed to by a health professional.
If a child or young person has a positive COVID-19 test result they should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day they took the test, if they can. After 3 days, if they feel well and do not have a high temperature, the risk of passing the infection on to others is much lower. This is because children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults.
Children and young people who usually go to school, college or childcare and who live with someone who has a positive COVID-19 test result should continue to attend as normal.
