Dear Parents and Carers,
We are notifying you because we have been alerted over the last 24 hours to more than one positive lateral flow result within Year 10. We would therefore encourage that all Year 10 students now complete daily lateral flow tests for the next 7 days. Your child should have enough lateral flow tests for the weekend, if you are running low, please do visit your local pharmacy or order online here: https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests We have also had a new delivery today and your child can collect these from the school hall.
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
- A new continuous cough
- A high temperature
- A loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)
We wanted to share with you some FAQ’s considering rapidly updated guidance:
What happens if my child has a positive LFT?
1. When an individual has a positive LFT please let health@noadswood.hants.sch.uk know as soon as possible as well as log this with the national website.
2. Any individual with a positive LFT should isolate. If they do not have symptoms, they do not need to complete a PCR.
3. Please update health@noadswood.hants.sch.uk with the outcome of any PCR tests.
4. Remote learning will be made available to students via the FROG learning portal. If you have any issues or concerns about work, please do contact your child's Year Leader.
Should my child complete 7 days of testing even if they have had C-19 within the last 90 days?
Yes. The DfE state that “Even if someone has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days, they are strongly encouraged to take part in LFT testing.”
If my child has symptoms, should they do a PCR?
The temporary suspension of a confirmatory PCR test is for individuals who are asymptomatic. Individuals who are experiencing any of the main symptoms of COVID-19 (a new continuous cough, high temperature/fever and loss or change to smell/taste) should take a PCR test. This advice has not changed. However, if an individual is experiencing symptoms and has already had a positive LFD test result, they do not need to take a PCR test as well and should isolate.
What is the new isolation period?
You will have spotted yesterday’s announcement from the government that the minimum period of isolation for positive cases is to be reduced to 5 full days from Monday. According to news reports this move will enable individuals with negative test results on days 5 and 6 to emerge from isolation on Day 6. News reports state that from Monday 17 January, people who test positive will be able to leave self-isolation after a further five full days, subject to having two negative LFT results, 24 hours apart. The day symptoms begin or you test positive is day zero. The next day is day one of your isolation period. You can take your first test on day five. If it is negative, you can take another test 24 hours later on day six. Assuming this is also negative - and you do not have a temperature - you can immediately leave isolation. We are awaiting guidance from the DfE to understand the implications for schools.
Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Should you have any further questions, do not hesitate to email us at health@noadswood.hants.sch.uk.
Best wishes,
Kathryn Marshall and the Noadswood Leadership Team
For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
If your child does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from the nhs.uk website at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/. If you are concerned about your child’s symptoms, or they are worsening you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://111.nhs.uk/ or by phoning 111.
How to stop coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading
There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with coronavirus (COVID-19):
get vaccinated – everyone aged 18 and over can book COVID-19 vaccination appointments now and 16-17 year olds are being offered 1 dose of the vaccination by 23 August
wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day
cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
meet people outside and avoid crowded areas
open doors and windows to let in fresh air if meeting people inside
wear a face covering if aged 11 and over when it's hard to stay away from other people – particularly indoors or in crowded places
participate in twice weekly LFD testing following national guidelines (recommended for 11 years and over). We encourage you to log your results here: https://www.gov.uk/log-test-site-covid19-results
Further Information
Further information is available at