Dear Parents & Carers,
We have been made aware of multiple confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Year 5. We have been working with the Local Authority Public Health Team at Sefton Council to minimise any disruption to education. To help us identify any other cases in the class, we are requesting that children of class 5P and 5S access a PCR test even if they do not have symptoms. This is to reduce the likelihood of further spread of COVID-19 to other students in the class and school. Pupils who have tested positive for COVID-19 via PCR test in the last 90 days, should not be retested unless they develop new symptoms (see below for details on symptomatic testing.)
Please visit www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test to book this test as follows:
- Proceed through the questions until you get to ‘Why are you asking for a test?’
- You should then select ‘I’ve been told to get a test by my local council, health protection team or healthcare professional’
- Then select ‘My local council or health protection team has asked me to get a test, even though I do not have symptoms’
- You can then proceed to book your test.
The current national guidance states that your child is not required to self-isolate and can continue to attend school unless they develop symptoms of COVID-19. The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
- new continuous cough and/or
- high temperature and/or
- a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)
If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19, they should remain at home and you should book a PCR test for them as soon as possible. This can be arranged via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or by calling 119.
If your child tests positive for COVID-19, we would encourage all household members including siblings to access a PCR test as contacts of a positive case and follow guidance on self-isolation. We would also encourage all household members to access Lateral Flow Testing at home.
Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Today, PHE have asked us to introduce methods to reduce social mixing between the affected class groups and other pupils e.g. stopping attendance at whole school assemblies temporarily or reducing mixing on the playground/for educational purposes. As we have already experienced a similar rise in positive cases back in September in Year 6, we introduced the measures yesterday to ensure we reduce transmission as quickly as possible.
I appreciate that this is a worrying time for families, but by following the guidelines we did see a reduction in cases in Year 6 and were able to relax the restrictions quite quickly. Please remember that teaching staff are also worried, particularly those with underlying health conditions or if they have vulnerable family members.
Thank you, in anticipation of your support,
P A Swift
Headteacher
