DfE and UKHSA guidance on living with Covid-19 - update

The COVID-19 specific operational guidance for schools has now been withdrawn from GOV.UK. The DfE and UKHSA subsequently published guidance on Friday that is specific to schools. Specifically on the circumstances in which a child or member of staff should not attend school, the guidance states:

• Children with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or mild cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend school.

• Children and young people 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 school when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough.

• If a child or young person 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.

• Children and young people who live with someone who has a positive COVID-19 test result should continue to attend as normal.

• Any staff who have a positive COVID-19 test result should try to stay at home for 5 days after the day they took the test.