Coronavirus - latest news

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Coronavirus: daily update

13 March 2020

Friday 13th March 2020

We are keeping a careful watch on coronavirus developments and how they may affect our school and its pupils and staff. We receive daily updates from the Department for Education – the latest is included below. Please scroll further down for more general information about the virus and how we can slow its spread.

As of today, there are no restrictions to any school activity, including trips. All school events are currently planned to go ahead as normal but this may be subject to change

The government have also provided a helpline for anyone who is worried about the virus:

Phone: 0800 046 8687
Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)

Latest guidance

(updated 13 March)

Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice

As of 10 March, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has updated advice about travel to Italy. The FCO is currently advising:

• against all but essential travel to Italy
• against all travel to Hubei Province, in China
• against all but essential travel to the rest of mainland China
• against all travel to the cities of Daegu, Cheongdo and Gyeongsan in South Korea
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not currently advising against travel to any other country/territory as a result of COVID-19.

The latest travel advice can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus

Updated advice for travellers returning from Italy
On 10 March, Public Health England updated its travel advice for travellers returning from Italy. The advice can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

Further information on what you should do if you are asked to self-isolate can be found here: https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/02/20/what-is-self-isolation-and-why-is-it-important/

The importance of hygiene 
Personal hygiene is the most important way we can tackle COVID-19, especially washing hands more; and the catch it, bin it, kill it strategy for those with coughs and sneezes.

How to wash your hands properly
Wash your hands more often for 20 seconds with soap and hot water.

Watch this short NHS film for guidance: http://youtu.be/bQCP7waTRWU

Teach young children how to wash their hands with the NHS handwashing song: http://youtu.be/S9VjeIWLnEg

Public Health England recommends that in addition to handwashing before eating, and after coughing and sneezing, everyone should also wash hands after using toilets and travelling on public transport.

General guidance

1. Information about the virus

A coronavirus is a type of virus. As a group, coronaviruses are common across the world. COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan City, China in January 2020.

The incubation period of COVID-19 is between 2 and 14 days. This means that if a person remains well 14 days after contact with someone with confirmed coronavirus, it is unlikely that they have been infected.

The following symptoms may develop in the 14 days after exposure to someone who has COVID-19 infection:

• cough
• difficulty in breathing
• fever

Generally, these infections can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease. There is no evidence that children are more affected than other age groups – very few cases have been reported in children.

2. How COVID-19 is spread

From what we know about other coronaviruses, spread of COVID-19 is most likely to happen when there is close contact (within 2 metres) with an infected person, such as by coughing or sneezing.

There is currently no good evidence that people who do not have symptoms are infectious to others.

3. Preventing spread of infection

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus.

There are general principles anyone can follow to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

1. washing your hands often – with soap and water, or use alcohol sanitiser if handwashing facilities are not available. This is particularly important after taking public transport.
2. covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in a bin.
3. people who feel unwell should stay at home and should not attend work or any education or childcare setting
4. use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available
5. avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
6. avoid close contact with people who are unwell
7. clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
8. pupils and visitors to school should wash their hands

• before leaving home
• on arrival at school
• after using the toilet
• after breaks and sporting activities
• before food preparation
• before eating any food, including snacks
• before leaving school

If you are worried about your symptoms or those of a child or colleague, please call NHS 111. Do not go directly to your GP or other healthcare environment
see further information on the Public Health England Blog and the NHS UK website.

Face masks for the general public, pupils or students, or staff are not recommended to protect from infection, as there is no evidence of benefit from their use outside healthcare environments.

People who have returned from Category 1 specified countries/areas in the last 14 days should self-isolate. This includes avoiding attending an education setting or work until 14 days after they return.

People who have returned from Category 2 specified countries/areas in the last 14 days, are advised to stay at home if they develop symptoms. All other pupils or students and staff should continue to attend school or university, including their siblings attending the same or a different school (unless advised not to by public health officials)