Richmond Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 1LS

01634 334344

Burnt Oak Primary School

Living with Covid 19 Strategy

From 1st April we will move to what we all hope is the final phase. 

All testing, both asymptomatic and symptomatic, has ended for the general public. Testing will only be available to those individuals who, despite vaccination, are still clinically vulnerable (and those people will have been identified and written to with specific instructions) and for high risk settings such as care homes or the NHS but even this is at much lower levels than previously.


There is new national guidance for people who have symptoms of respiratory infections including COVID-19 and/or a positive test result People with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). This includes advice for children and young people attending education and childcare settings.

The key points are:

 

  • Children with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or mild cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education or childcare setting. 
  • Children who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and where possible avoid contact with other people. They can go back to education or childcare setting when they no longer have a high temperature and they are well enough.
  • If a child has a positive COVID-19 test result they should try to stay at home and where possible avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day, they took the test. The risk of passing the infection on to others is much lower after 3 days if they feel well and do not have a high temperature.
  • Adults with a positive COVID-19 test result should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days.
    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.


For the education and childcare sector, the management of COVID 19 will be in line with how other respiratory viruses such as colds and flu are managed. This means that there will not be any restrictions within the setting and testing for COVID 19 is unlikely to be available for outbreaks.


The guidance for respiratory infections including COVID 19 and flu is now in Health protection in schools and other childcare facilities - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) which has been updated. The focus is on ensuring good baseline infection prevention and control measures with the details in chapter 2 of this guidance. These will not stop respiratory infections spreading but aim to interrupt the cycle of infection so that transmission of infection is reduced overall.

 

The key baseline measures are:

  • Good respiratory (catch coughs and sneezes in tissues and dispose of as soon as possible) and hand hygiene (washing hands including after using the toilet and before eating)
  • Environmental cleaning 
  • Ventilation and the use of outdoor spaces
  • Vaccination of those eligible