There is new national guidance for people who have symptoms of respiratory infections including COVID-19 and/or a positive test result People with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). This includes advice for children and young people attending education and childcare settings. The key points are:
- Children with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or mild cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education or childcare setting
- 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 education or childcare setting 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.
- Adults with a positive COVID-19 test result should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days.
- Children and young people who usually go to school, college or childcare and who live with someone who has a positive COVID-19 test result should continue to attend as normal unless they become unwell.