Fairlight Primary & Nursery School

HEALTH INFORMATION

COVID VACINATIONS FOR 5-11 YEAR OLDS

COVID-19 VACCINATION

Coronavirus vaccine for children aged 5-15

Key messages

Everyone aged 5 (on or before 31 Aug 2022) and over can get a first and second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

• COVID-19 infection is usually mild in children but it can make some unwell.
• The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
• A single dose of the vaccine provides good protection against your child getting very unwell. A second dose is needed for stronger and longer lasting protection against different variants.
• Vaccinating children can reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection to your child and those around them.

Children can have the COVID-19 autumn booster if they are

• Aged 5 and over and at high risk due to a health condition
• Aged 5 and over and at high risk because of a weakened immune system
• Aged 5 and over and living in the same household as someone with a weakened immune system
• Aged 16 and over and a carer (paid or unpaid)

The NHS website is a good source of information:

[http://Coronavirus%20(COVID-19)%20vaccine%20for%20children%20aged%205%20to%2015%20-%20NHS%20(www.nhs.uk)]Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine for children aged 5 to 15 - NHS (www.nhs.uk) 

PARENTS COVID UPDATE

This is what the Government have published at the current time.

From Tuesday 22nd February 

• Routine twice-weekly asymptomatic testing for staff and pupils over the age of 11 in mainstream provision should now cease.
• Routine twice-weekly asymptomatic testing for staff and pupils over the age of 11 in in SEND settings, alternative provision settings, and SEND units within mainstream settings should continue

From Thursday 24^th February

• You will not be legally required to self-isolate if you test positive for COVID-19. You should stay at home if you can and avoid contact with other people. It is good public health practice to say at home if you are unwell with Covid or any other respiratory illness.
• You will not have to take daily tests or be legally required to self-isolate following contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Until 31^st March

• If you have any COVID-19 symptoms you should avoid contact with others and order a PCR test. If you test positive, stay at home and avoid contact with other people.

What does the change in Guidance however mean for us at Fairlight?

FAIRLIGHT LIVING WITH COVID PLAN

Our NUMBER ONE priority remains the safety and well being of all members of the Fairlight Primary and Nursery School community. 

We continue to ask for your support with this at the current time. 

Preventative and Supportive Measures

• We will still be encouraging using sanitiser and handwashing.
• Masks are still able to be worn.
• We are still planning activities and events with a Covid thought.
• We will still be encouraging anyone displaying symptoms to not be in school and seek a test.

What we won’t be doing?

• We are not expecting children or staff to test regularly.
• You don’t need to LFT test and shouldn’t really LFT test for up to 3 months after you have Covid as this is how long medically you are advised you may still have it in your system.
• We will not be giving out LFT test kits.
• We won’t be telling you who has Covid in the school or your child’s class.

What happens if my child is unwell (with the recognised symptoms) or get Covid?

• Take a test- either LFT or PCR.
• Inform the school.

What happens if I have Covid- how long will I have to be off?

There is no legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive however at Fairlight we are asking all parents to consider the safety and well-being of all members of the school community and therefore we are asking everyone to:

• Contact the school and inform us that your child has Covid and how you know this (LFT or PCR)
• Not come into school as you have an infectious disease

When can I return?

The recommended period to be kept away from school:

• Atleast 5 days- only returning if they are feeling well enough.
• Or within 10 days.

So, in simple terms we are asking you to keep them off for 5 days but they can return after that if they are well. You can choose to keep them home if they are positive on a LFT on Day 6/7/8/9/10.

How will this be recorded?

We will be logging Covid as the reason given if we are provided with the information sent to you when registering the test results (if LFT) or sent to you following a PCR test.

If you do not provide this information then with all absence this will just be logged as illness and the symptoms or information you give us.

SYMPTOMS OF COVID

MAIN SYMPTOMS

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

• a high temperature– this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough– 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)
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste– this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

Most people with coronavirus have at least 1 of these symptoms.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS

If you have any of the main symptoms of coronavirus:

1. Get a PCR test to check if you have coronavirus as soon as possible. 
2. Use of LFT test to check if you have coronavirus.