In addition to this week’s blog about, “What to do if your child is ill,” and the helpful flowchart to help you make some decisions, we’ve amended it to include the NHS definition of what a continuous cough is (below). We also thought it would be useful to provide further links to GOV.UK web pages.

The main message for school parents is that if anyone has symptoms, however mild, the household should self isolate and the one showing symptoms should have a test arranged.

GOV.UK Stay at Home Guidance For Those Showing Symptoms (link)

Main messages… If you have symptoms of COVID-19, however mild, self-isolate for at least 10 days from when your symptoms started. You should arrange to have a test to see if you have COVID-19 – go to testing to arrange. Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

We appreciate that this may be extremely awkward for some families, but this is what’s expected and asked of us during the start of the new normal.

All schools are going to have children off ill and, fortunately, those in the Braunton Learning Cooperative haven’t yet needed to close provision or bubbles. We all hope that families follow the actions that mitigate the risks (social distancing, groups of 6 etc.) which include staying off school when there are symptoms and arranging for a test, and that the positive cases in North Devon follow the guidance they’ve been given.

The symptoms…

A new continuous cough* -or- a temperature -or- a loss/change sense of taste/smell.

*(NHS definition: this means coughing a lot, for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

The GOV.UK Stay at Home Guidance is useful and clear, but Public Health England also provide an ‘Easy Read’ leaflet that some families may be useful.