E-newsletter 38

Public Health England: Coronavirus Advice

You will all be aware of the outbreak of coronavirus in China and the subsequent confirmed cases in the UK and elsewhere. The purpose of this newsletter is to share Public Health England advice and help mitigate any concerns in relation to school.

For all medical matters, the school believes that the most effective practice is to default to NHS and Public Health England advice at all times. At the time of writing, Public Health England advice to schools is as follows.

Prevent the spread of infection

Make sure you and your children follow these general principles to prevent spreading any respiratory virus:

• Wash your hands often – with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or an alcohol-based sanitiser if soap and water aren’t available
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• If you feel unwell, stay at home and don’t attend work or school
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home

If you or your children have returned from Hubei province in past 14 days

If you or your children are currently well:

• Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with flu viruses
• Call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the area
• Your other family members don’t need to take any precautions or make any changes to their own activities

If you become unwell (symptoms including cough, breathing difficulties or fever):

• Call NHS 111 immediately in order for you to be assessed by an appropriate specialist in hospital, as quickly as possible
• Follow the home isolation advice sheet 

If you or your children have returned from a specified country in last 14 days

The specified countries are:

• China (other than Hubei)
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Macau
• Malaysia
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Thailand

If you or your children are well:

• You don’t need to avoid contact with other people
• Your other family members don’t need to take any precautions or make any changes to their own activities

If you become unwell (symptoms including cough, breathing difficulties or fever):

• Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with other flu viruses
• Follow the home isolation advice sheet
• Call NHS 111 immediately (or 999 if an emergency)

The school will make itself aware of and implement any further guidance on coronavirus from Public Health England as it when it is issued.

If you have any specific concerns of questions, please feel free to contact school.