As children and families try to return toward normality with the re-opening of schools this month, parents and children have numerous questions regarding how to safely navigate this exciting time. We at Beechlawn Medical Centre understand the obvious accompanying anxiety and hope that the information contained below may help to provide some guidance.
WHEN A CHILD SHOULD NOT GO TO SCHOOL AND THEIR PARENT SHOULD PHONE THEIR GP:
(Advice Correct as of 07/10/2020)
- When they have symptoms which could indicate Covid19
- Fever of 38 degrees or higher, OR
- A new cough, OR
- Difficulty breathing, OR
- Change or loss of sense of taste or smell.
If the child has any of the above symptoms they stay at home and isolate. You should telephone their GP who will tell you what to do next – including whether they need a free test.
The rest of the child’s household should also stay at home, at least until they are further advised by the GP.
If your child appears seriously unwell it is unlikely to be Covid19 and is more likely to be another illness that needs urgent medical attention. Please call your GP or phone 999 if you are very concerned – we do not want to delay treating other illnesses such as meningitis or pneumonia.
Please also note:
- Children should not go to school if someone in their household is unwell with symptoms of Covid19 – that person should phone their GP.
- Children should not go to school if they are told they are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid19.
- Children should not go to school if they have returned from a country that is not on the green list within the last 14 day
WHEN A CHILD SHOULD NOT GO TO SCHOOL AND SHOULD BE MONITORED AT HOME BY A PARENT OR CARER
- A child who is mildly unwell with a temperature of less than 38 degrees and who has no cough, no difficulty breathing and normal sense of taste and smell, should stay at home with a parent or carer.
Their parents can go to work and siblings can go to school.
The parent or carer should telephone their GP if the child becomes more unwell.
These children can return to school once they have been well for 48 hours
A CHILD CAN GO TO SCHOOL EVEN IF THEY HAVE…….:
A runny nose or are sneezing, but are otherwise active and well with a normal temperature* (less than 37.5 degrees), no cough and no difficulty breathing and no loss or change in taste or smell.
(*Temperature refers to how hot your child is before PARACETAMOL (Calpol) or IBUPROFEN (Nurofen))