Guidance for Parents

On Tuesday 29 March 2022, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the next steps in the government’s strategy for living with COVID-19 in England. Whilst the government has now withdrawn its specific guidance document for schools, as of Friday 1 April, the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revised its guidance in respect of managing the spread of Covid-19. Notably, there are two documents which can now be referred to in that respect:

Reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace
People with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19

Adults and children who have symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19, are advised to follow the UKHSA guidance, which is summarised below:

• Children with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or mild cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend school.
• Children who are unwell or have a high temperature should stay at home and where possible avoid contact with other people. They can go back to school and resume normal activities when they no longer have a high temperature and they are otherwise well enough to do so.
• 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 and children may return to school provided that they feel well and do not have a high temperature.
• Children who live with someone who has a positive COVID-19 test result should continue to attend as normal.

Please note that it is now not recommended that children and young people are tested for COVID-19 unless
directed to do so by a health professional.