Staying Safe from Coronavirus
Below are the messages we are constantly giving children in school to help to keep themselves and everyone safe. Children are not required to wear masks, however, we have included this guidance here to help anyone who reads this page.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Good regular hand washing is one of the most important prevention and protective measures anyone can take. The more you do it and the better you do it, the more protected you are. The coronavirus is covered in fatty particles and these are attracted to soap particles and will attach themselves to the soap particles any chance they get. In turn, soap particles are more attracted to water molecules and attach to them. This means that as the soap and water are washed away down the sink, they take the virus with it. Remember to wash your hands after you blow your nose, sneeze or cough, before you eat or handle food and after using the toilet.
Often used on the go, hand sanitizers containing alcohol can kill bacteria, viruses and germs by breaking down and dissolving their membrane and proteins. Hand sanitiser must have an alcohol content of 61% or more to be useful and is not a replacement for good handwashing. We would always recommend washing hands with soap and water whenever possible because handwashing reduces the amounts of all types of dirt, germs and chemicals on hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Hands can pick up lots of dirt, bacteria and a whole host of other things in a short space of time. If your hands come into contact with a coronavirus infected surface, the virus will be transferred onto your hands. This will not infect you; the virus still needs to make its way into your body. The easiest way in is through your eyes, nose, and mouth. Keeping your hands off your eyes, nose, and mouth is another simple way to protect yourself. If you need to touch your face, wash your hands first.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin.
If someone is infected with Coronavirus, then the moisture in their breath and saliva will contain the virus. These droplets don’t travel very far which is why two metres social distancing rules are in place. However, when you cough or sneeze droplets from your mouth and nose can travel much further. To stop this from happening use a tissue to catch the droplets. The tissue will now be covered in germs so throw the tissue in a bin. If you don’t have a tissue use the crook of your arm. Remember to wash your hands after you blow your nose, sneeze or cough.
Keep a 2m distance from anyone not in your household or support bubble.
If someone is infected with Coronavirus, then the moisture in their breath and saliva will contain the virus. These droplets don’t travel very far which is why two metres social distancing rules are in place. The further apart you are the lower the risk. People should either stay 2m apart or ‘1m plus’ – which means one metre plus mitigations. These mitigations will depend on the workplace or setting. For example, on public transport and in other indoor venues, people must wear a face covering, as it is not always possible to stay 2m apart.
Wearing face coverings
It is not recommended that primary aged children wear face masks as the risk to them is low, the masks protect others and not themselves and they are thought to be detrimental to early education.
If you are contacted by the NHS Test and Trace Service you must self-isolate.
If you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus you will receive a call or text from the NHS Test and Trace Service. (Under 18's will get a phone call and a parent or guardian will be asked to give permission for the call to continue). You will be asked to begin self-isolation for up to 14 days, depending on when you last came into contact with the person who has tested positive. It's really important to do this even if you don't feel unwell, because it can take up to 14 days for the symptoms to develop. Remember we don’t want the virus to spread so although this may be disruptive for you, it is less disruptive than an outbreak of coronavirus and far less disruptive than a local lockdown. By doing this you will continue to protect your family and friends and the wider community from coronavirus.