Coronavirus information

3^rd March 2020

Dear parents and carers,

The government body, Public Health England, recently updated their official guidance for educational settings regarding COVID-19, commonly referred to as the coronavirus.

While schools and educational establishments are low-risk settings, we believe it’s still very important to share these guidelines in order to maximise the safety of everyone in our school community.

While the infection is not serious for most people, including children, the coronavirus can cause flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, and it is crucial that everyone does everything they can to help keep others safe.

There are general principles anyone can follow to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

• washing your hands often - with soap and water, or use alcohol sanitiser if handwashing facilities are not available. This is particularly important after taking public transport
• covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in a bin: Catch it, Bin it, Kill it
• people who feel unwell should stay at home and should not attend work or any education or childcare setting

We are encouraging pupils, staff and visitors to wash their hands:

• before leaving home
• on arrival at school
• after using the toilet
• after breaks and sporting activities
• before food preparation
• before eating any food, including snacks
• before leaving school

Further advice:

• avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
• avoid close contact with people who are unwell
• clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
• if you are worried about your symptoms or those of a child or family member, please call NHS 111. Do not go directly to your GP or other healthcare environment

We will be providing an alcohol-based hand sanitiser where available: please inform us if this is unsuitable for your child.

Face masks for the general public, pupils or students, or staff are not recommended to protect from infection, as there is no evidence of benefit from their use outside healthcare environments.

People who have returned from Category 1 specified countries/areas in the last 14 days should self-isolate. This includes avoiding attending an education setting or work until 14 days after they return.

People who have returned from Category 2 specified countries/areas in the last 14 days, are advised to stay at home if they develop symptoms. All other pupils or students and staff should continue to attend school or university, including their siblings attending the same or a different school (unless advised not to by public health officials).

See:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas

As a school, we will, of course, continue to follow guidance from Public Health.

Yours sincerely

Mr R Thompson

Headteacher