COVID advice from Public Health England

 What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of COVID-19 are:

·       new continuous cough and/or

·       fever (temperature of 37.8°C or higher)

·       Loss of or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)

 What is the mode of transmission?

COVID-19 is passed from person to person mainly by large respiratory droplets and direct contact (close unprotected contact, usually less than one metre). These droplets can be directly inhaled by the person, or can land on surfaces which another person may touch which can lead to infection if they then touch their nose, mouth or eyes.

 What is the incubation period?

The incubation period (i.e. time between exposure to the virus and developing symptoms) is between 1 and 14 days (median 5 days).

When is a person infectious?

A person is thought to be infectious 48 hours before symptoms appear, and up to ten days after they start displaying symptoms. 48 hours should be used to determine close contacts and not two days.

 Are children at risk of infection?

Children of all ages can catch the infection but children make up a very small proportion of COVID-19 cases with about 1% of confirmed cases in England aged under 19 years. Children also have a much lower risk of developing symptoms or severe disease.

 Can children pass on the infection?

There is some uncertainty about how much asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic children can transmit the disease but the evidence so far from a number of studies suggests children are less likely to pass it on and do not appear to play a major role in transmission. Most children with COVID-19 have caught the infection from adults and not the reverse.

While the risk of transmission between young children and adults is likely to be low, adults should continue to take care to socially distance from other adults including older children/adolescents.

 Who is a close contact?

A contact is defined as a person who has had contact (see below) at any time from 48 hours before onset of symptoms (or time of test if asymptomatic) to 10 days after onset of symptoms (or test):

 ·        a person who has had face-to-face contact (within one metre) with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), including:

o   being coughed on, or

o   having a face-to-face conversation, or

o   having skin-to-skin physical contact, or

o   any contact within one metre for one minute or longer without face-to-face contact 

·        a person who has been within 2 metres of someone who has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) for more than 15 minutes 

·        a person who has travelled in a small vehicle with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) or in a large vehicle near someone who has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19)

• people who spend significant time in the same household as a person who has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19)

What does self-isolation mean?

Self-isolation means the child/staff member should

·        Not go to setting, work or public places

·        Not attend any other out of setting activities or go around to a friends house

·        Not use public transport or taxis

·        Not go out to shop – order it online or ask a friend to bring it to your home

·        Not have visitors in your home except for people providing essential care

·        Not go out to exercise – exercise at home or in your garden, if you have one

·        Inform GP practice or hospital or other healthcare setting that they are self-isolating if they must attend in person