Thursday 11th February 2021
Dear Parents/Carers,
I am writing to tell you what you need to do about reporting cases of COVID-19 and contact tracing over the February half term period.
As you know schools have played an important role in contact tracing. We have been identifying anyone who has been in close contact at school with someone who has tested positive for COVID19, up to 2 days before that person had symptoms. Those contacts then need to self-isolate for 10 days because they are at risk of having caught COVID-19 and being contagious themselves.
As with the Christmas holidays, contact tracing will be slightly different during the half term break when schools are closed.
Please follow the guidance below if your child begins to show symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19 during the half term break.
| If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19 within 48 hours of their last day in school | – Get a test for your child – Everyone in your household must isolate at home until the test result is back. – If the test result is positive for COVID19, you must inform the school -school will identify any other people in the school community who are close contacts. – If the test result is negative, you do not need to take any further action. |
| If your child has no symptoms of COVID-19 but tests positive within 48 hours of being in school | – Let the school know straight away– school will identify any other people in the school community who are close contacts. (It is important to follow the guidance around only getting a test if they are showing signs of COVID-19.) |
| If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19 more than 48 hours after their last day in school- (15 Feb onwards) | – Get a test for your child – Everyone in your household must isolate at home until the test result is back. – If the test result is positive for COVID-19, you must contact NHS Test and Trace and follow the advice given by them: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/ – You do not need to tell the school |
| The quickest way to get a test is to book a test at your local testing centre via https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test. Please do not use postal tests unless absolutely necessary as these take longer. |
During the holidays, please contact the school by email on covid@kelvingrove.lewisham.sch.uk
You must provide the following:
- Child’s name
- Class/year group
- Date last in school
- Date symptoms started/ child began to feel unwell
- Date of test
- Date positive result received
If you are contacted by the school because your child is identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, they must self-isolate for 10 days.
We ask that you stick to all COVID-19 social distancing social mixing guidance over the half term period to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus and keep us all safe and well over the break. It is also important to follow guidance. Please remember that rapid testing is available for anyone (without COVID symptoms) who needs to leave the home for work.
Book a test in advance here or check the website for walk-in slots that may be available.
| Coming back to school after the half term You should contact the school if your child will be absent on the first day of term through our online absence reporting form CLICK HERE, if they are absent due to COVID-19, please email covid@kelvingrove.lewisham.sch.uk and let us know if they are unwell or self-isolating. It is really important that your child gets a test and does NOT return to school after half term if they have any of the three main COVID symptoms: • Fever • New continuous cough • Loss or change to smell or taste To be extra safe, if your child has any of the following symptoms, please keep them at home and contact the school on the first day of term: • Loss of appetite • Diarrhoea • Nausea • Vomiting • Extreme tiredness • Headaches • Joint pain • Muscle ache • Runny nose • Sore throat • Sneezing NB: Your child should NOT get a test if they have these symptoms WITHOUT one of the three main COVID symptoms |
Thank you for your cooperation and ongoing support.
