Today you will be in receipt of a letter forwarded to all schools from Public Health England, advising us in regard to the spread of the Coronavirus. I ask that you ensure you read it – particularly the last paragraph. I can assure you that all necessary preventions are put in place within school. (ie. The whole school is cleaned on a daily basis, children routinely wash their hands before lunch, after visiting the toilet, etc.)

May I request that you encourage/remind them to do the same at home – as well as ensuring they bring a bottle of water to school with them every day, which has been thoroughly washed. And please be assured that the NHS, Public Health England and the LA are monitoring the situation carefully and will notify all schools accordingly. 

 

 

Letter from Public Health England

 

Date: 25th February 2020

Dear Headteacher,

Re: COVID–19 Advice for schools and educational settings

You may be aware that advice for travellers from affected areas has recently changed and it has come to our attention that this may affect children and staff returning from school trips. Please be aware that this is a fast evolving situation and we will continue to share any new advice at the earliest opportunity.

As of today (25th February) advice for returning travellers is as follows;

1) If you have returned from the following areas since February 19, call NHS111 to inform them of your recent travel, stay indoors and avoid contact with other people even if you do not have symptoms:

• Iran

• Specific lockdown areas in Northern Italy* as designated by the Government of Italy

• Daegu or Cheongdo, Republic of Korea)

• Hubei province, China (returned in the past 14 days)

* Bertonico • Casalpusterlengo • Castelgerundo • Castiglione D'Adda • Codogno • Fombio • Maleo • San Fiorano • Somaglia • Terranova dei Passerini: • Vo

2) If you have returned from the following areas since February 19th and develop symptoms, however mild, you should stay indoors at home and avoid contact with other people immediately and call NHS111. You do not need to follow this advice if you have no symptoms.

• Northern Italy (see map)

• Vietnam

• Cambodia

• Laos

• Myanmar

3) If you have returned to the UK from any of the following areas in the last 14 days and develop symptoms of cough or fever or shortness of breath, you should immediately stay indoors and avoid contact with other people, call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the country.

2

• Other parts of China outside Hubei province

• Thailand

• Japan

• Republic of Korea

• Hong Kong

• Taiwan

• Singapore

• Malaysia

• Macau

Further guidance for educational settings has been published at the following links and will be updated as soon as possible with the above advice and any further changes: : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19

Information for the public: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

Public Health England and Department of Health have advised that schools do not need to close in relation to COVID 19 (even if there are associated possible cases currently undergoing testing). If a confirmed case is identified with links to a school, specific advice would be given on a case by case basis and parents and students would be updated appropriately.

Yours sincerely

Public Health England