Coronavirus - Advice and Guidance

A coronavirus is a type of virus that causes respiratory tract infections, such as colds and pneumonia. Although coronaviruses usually cause mild symptoms, they can (on rare occasions) cause life-threatening breathing difficulties and death.  

The symptoms of coronavirus are: 

• Cough 

• High temperature 

• Shortness of breath 

• A loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell. 

But these symptoms are similar to other illnesses, such as cold and flu. 

Stay at home and self isolate if you have either: 

• A high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back a new, continuous cough – this means you've started coughing repeatedly, or a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell. 

• You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you're staying at home. 

• Testing for coronavirus is not needed if you're staying at home. 

• Anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days. 

• If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home. 

• After 14 days, anyone you live with who does not have symptoms can return to their normal routine. 
  But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms start. Even if it means they're at home for longer than 14 days. 

Information: 

• If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days. 

• If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible. 

• After 7 days, if you no longer have a high temperature you can return to your normal routine. 

• If you still have a high temperature, stay at home until your temperature returns to normal. 

• If you still have a cough after 7 days, but your temperature is normal, you do not need to continue staying at home. A cough can last for several weeks after the infection has gone. 
   
  Tips for staying at home 

The best way to prevent infection and spread of viruses is by practicing good hand hygiene and following the usual recommended actions to prevent the spread of respiratory infections. 

• Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water is not available, you can use an alcohol based hand gel (view videos below). 

• Always wash your hands when you get home or into work. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. 

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze, or cough/sneeze into the crease of your elbow. 

• Put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards. 

• Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell. 

Don't  
Touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean. 

The second lockdown has brought with it new regulations for face coverings. With the Tier system in place, there are many public settings across the UK where wearing a face covering is mandatory. These include indoor places where social distancing may be difficult and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet. 

You may be at risk of infection if you’ve been in contact with someone that has a confirmed COVID-19 infection. 

The situation is evolving but to date the following should take appropriate precautions according to the NHS: 

• Those who are 70 or over 

• Those with a long-term condition 

• Those who are pregnant 

• Those with a weakened immune system 

If you are caring for someone with COVID-19 and using a face mask, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before putting it on and follow these steps: 

1. Make sure the mask covers over your nose and mouth completely, and don’t touch the mask once it is on 

2. If you need to touch your mask, clean your hands before and after 

3. If the mask becomes damp, replace it with a new one 

4. When taking your mask off, don’t touch the front of it 

5. Throw used face masks away immediately into a closed bin and don’t forget to wash your hands after. Wearing a face mask is not enough to prevent infection and spread without also taking the precautionary measures mentioned earlier. 

For further advice and guidance from Public Health England, please visit this link for any updates: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-guidance 

You should continue to follow the  Stay at Home Advice and Guidance for Households Information.  

If you are well enough, continue to study and teach at home via Microsoft Teams. We believe that strong links between home and school is crucial to your child’s education. We would like to draw your attention to the online platforms that you have access to at home. The logins for these have been provided. 

Having a routine can be really helpful. You might like to adapt the below example schedule for your family: 

Please download our Daily Routine Calendar to help support you with planning your day to day routines. We also have a Top Tips poster to help to keep you positive while you study at home.  

Daily Routine Calendar  

Top Tips - Studying at Home 

Although it is not mandatory, it will still be highly recommended for parents, guardians and carers to wear face masks and observe social distancing guidelines when on the School premises, and for children to perform regular handwashing throughout the day. In addition to these precautionary measures, the School are also anticipating the provision of the new carbon dioxide monitors this September launched by the government. The programme will provide sufficient monitors to take readings from across indoor spaces within the School to allow staff to identify where ventilation needs to be improved and let fresh air in, therefore removing air that contains virus particles and reducing the transmission of COVID-19.

The health and safety of all our pupils is paramount to us and we have been working hard to ensure we can still supply your child’s individual photographs in the safest way possible. As such, we have made contact with Fraser Portraits who have provided us with a risk assessment, outlining the various measures that will be put in place for their onsite presence on the day. 

Should you have any concerns, a copy of the risk assessment can be accessed below: 

Fraser Portraits Risk Assessment