Nationally and locally we are seeing a rise in coronavirus cases among the school-age population, but in almost all those cases the young person has shown no sign of having the virus, or only very mild symptoms, public health experts confirm.
Public Health Devon says they’re aware that many parents are anxious about the case rates within schools.
Our Director of Public Health, Steve Brown, said today:
“Although case rates generally in Devon are below national average, we are continuing to see a rise in coronavirus cases in school age children, and it is likely that this will continue.
“The fact that most cases show no sign, or very little sign of having the virus, emphasises the importance of regular testing in order to identify people carrying and potentially spreading the virus.”
Steve Brown has set out clear advice to parents:
- If your child has symptoms of coronavirus, they should not go to school. They should take a PCR test – not a lateral flow device test – and they should self-isolate pending the result of that test. Lateral flow device tests are only for people who show no symptoms of having the virus.
- If your child is identified as a close contact, including if someone in your household tests positive, they should take a PCR test. However, unless they have symptoms of coronavirus, they are not required to stay off school while they wait for the test results.
- If your child tests positive with a routine lateral flow device test, they should stay at home and arrange a PCR test. They should isolate whilst awaiting the result of the PCR test. If the PCR test is positive, they should continue self-isolating. If the PCR test is negative, they can return to school, but they should continue to routinely take the lateral flow device tests twice a week.
- Given the current rates in schools, we would encourage secondary schools and colleges to continue the advice of wearing face coverings in communal areas.
- All secondary school age pupils and their teachers should be taking lateral flow device tests twice a week
- Given the current rates in schools, we would encourage secondary schools and colleges to continue the advice of wearing face coverings in communal areas.
“We all know how much learning has been disrupted these last 18 months,” said Steve Brown.
“What’s important now, whilst we are all living with COVID, is that we try to keep COVID-19 case rates as low as possible, to enable as many children as possible to stay in school.
“Where we see large outbreaks in schools, we and those schools work closely together to agree any additional control measures to put in place to help control the spread of the virus.
“However, with the national change in guidance around close contacts and self-isolation, schools will only ask classes or year groups to stay at home, to be taught remotely, as a very last resort.
“We know that this change in approach has caused some concerns with parents, and challenge to our schools about their response to increased cases, and I assure parents that the approach we have seen from schools aligns directly to the government and public health guidance.
“We are working collaboratively across all sectors to ensure that there is an appropriate response t this new phase of living with coronavirus.”
Public Health experts also say that a lot of young people at the moment have got coughs and sniffles most commonly associated with winter illnesses.
“There is also a lot of seasonal illness among young people at the moment. If your child has symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea and/or vomiting– even if they test negative with a PCR test for coronavirus – please keep your child off school or nursery to avoid spreading other infections.”