Colds, coughs and sneezes

As is normal, since returning we have seen a surge in the prevalence of the common cold. For clarity, if a child develops a high temperature or a continuous cough it must be treated as a possible COVID-19 symptom, the child must isolate and get tested.  

The NHS definition for each of the three COVID-19 symptoms are: 

• a high temperature – measured as 37.8°C or above. If you don’t have a thermometer, feeling hot to the touch on your chest or back is a good indicator of a high temperature

• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.

Anyone who develops one of the three main symptoms of COVID-19 should still get a PCR test (unless they have already taken an LFD test and the result was positive).

If the PCR test result is negative then self-isolation can end.

If the PCR or LFD test result is positive then self-isolation must continue for 10 days. People who receive negative LFD results on day 5 and day 6 of self-isolation, with tests taken 24 hours apart, can end their isolation period early.

Members of the household and close contacts of a positive case do not have to isolate but should do LFD tests every day for 7 days.