Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Updated Advice 10 March 2020

To Parents/Guardians

Good Afternoon

The Government continues to update its advice on Coronavirus (COVID-19) – its website is updated regularly at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public.  Please check this website for updates and information – particularly if any member of your family undertakes travel outside of UK.   

The school is working closely with Public Health on this issue and following its advice. We ask all parents to keep up to date with any relevant information and to communicate with the school if there are any concerns at all.

The current advice to returning travellers is:  

1.  Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people if you’ve travelled to the UK from the following places in the last 14 days, even if you do not have symptoms:

• Iran
• Hubei province in China
• Special care zones in South Korea (Daegu, Cheongdo, Gyeongsan)

2.  Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people if you’ve travelled to the UK from the following places, even if you do not have symptoms:

• Italy (since 09 March)

3.  Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people if you’ve travelled to the UK from the following places in the last 14 days and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath, even if your symptoms are mild:

• mainland China outside of Hubei province
• South Korea outside of the special care zones
• Cambodia
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Laos
• Macau
• Malaysia
• Myanmar
• Singapore
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Vietnam

Use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do next.

PREVENTING SPREAD OF INFECTION

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

• washing your hands often, preferably with soap and water. Only 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. See 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
• pupils, students, staff and visitors should 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
• if soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol
• 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 colleague, and feel you or they may be at risk, please telephone your GP for advice. Do not go directly to your GP or other healthcare environment
• see further information on the Public Health Agency website.