How to stop COVID-19 spreading
There are things you can do to reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19. DO:
- Get vaccinated if you haven’t already done so and are eligible. Vaccination is our best defence against COVID-19 causing anyone to become seriously unwell. If anyone who is eligible in your family or home have not yet been vaccinated, then they should arrange vaccination as soon as possible. This could also help you avoid having to self-isolate in the future. Information on how to arrange a vaccination can be found on NHS inform.
- Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze and put used tissues straight in the bin and wash your hands.
- Open windows/doors regularly to ventilate your home
- Be vigilant for COVID symptoms and self-isolate when you have COVID symptoms or have been advised to by the Test and Protect service.
What will happen if there is a case of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in school?
- Whole classes will no longer be asked to self-isolate if someone in the class tests positive for COVID-19.
- Your child would only be identified as a contact if they have had prolonged close contact with the case (someone who tests positive for COVID-19) – e.g. same household, overnight stays.
- There will be no requirement for you or your child to self-isolate unless you are contacted by Test and Protect – the contact tracing service.
- All close contacts of the case who need to take specific actions will be identified, contacted and advised by the Test and Protect service to follow the latest guidance on self-isolation and testing.
The guidance was updated on 9 August 2021 and usually the following will not need to isolate:
- adults who are fully vaccinated, whereby, at least 14 days has passed since the second vaccination, who do not have symptoms, and do not develop symptoms, and who have not tested positive;
- children and young people aged under 18 who do not have symptoms, and do not develop symptoms, and who have not tested positive.
Further information on the latest self-isolation requirements can be found on the NHS Inform website.
