Friday 28th February 2020
Dear Families
Information about Coronavirus (COVID-19) and how you can help
You are likely aware of the outbreak of coronavirus in China and the subsequent confirmed cases in the UK. At Five Rivers Multi Academy Trust we take the health and safety of our pupils and staff very seriously, so we are sharing guidance from Public Health England on the steps you should be taking.
There’s currently no cause for concern at the school, but we’ll keep you informed about any developments and ensure we’re keeping the school clean to prevent the spread of any virus.
Prevent the spread of infection
Make sure you and your children follow these general principles to prevent spreading any respiratory virus:
- Wash your hands often – with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or an alcohol-based sanitiser if soap and water aren’t available
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- If you feel unwell, stay at home and don’t attend work or school
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home
- If you’re worried about your symptoms, please call NHS 111 – don’t go directly to your GP or other healthcare environment
If you or your children have returned from anywhere in Hubei province in past 14 days:
- Contact NHS 111 for advice, and:
- Self-isolate for 14 days after leaving Hubei (Please see attached ‘home isolation advice sheet)
- If you become unwell, call NHS 111 immediately for an assessment (or 999 if you require emergency medical attention) – see below for the symptoms to look out for.
If you or your children have returned from a specified area in last 14 days:
The specified areas are:
China (other than Hubei)
Hong Kong
Japan
Macau
Malaysia
Singapore
South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
If you or your children are well:
- You don’t need to avoid contact with other people
- Your other family members don’t need to take any precautions or make any changes to their own activities
If you become unwell (see below for a list of symptoms):
- Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with other flu viruses (see the home isolation advice sheet for help with this) If you’re sending this letter in a physical form, you may want to either attach the advice sheet to the letter or include the URL here
- Call NHS 111 immediately for an assessment (or 999 if you require emergency medical attention)
Symptoms to look out for:
If you’ve returned from the specified areas or Hubei, look out for the following symptoms:
- Cough
- Difficulty in breathing
- Fever (a temperature of 38 degrees C or higher)
According to other official guidance, while you wait for further advice:
- Avoid contact with others
- Stay at home – don’t go to work or school
- Don’t travel while sick
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing, throwing tissues in the bin
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (or an alcohol-based sanitiser if soap and water aren’t available)
You will have seen on the news that Coronavirus (COVID-19) has now affected a region of Italy causing the temporary closure of public buildings such as shops and schools. Whilst the likelihood of this happening in Sheffield is currently very low, we are taking steps to plan – just as we do for other unlikely events such as natural disasters, suspect packages and intruder lock down.
As part of our planning, we would like to identify how many of our children have access to the internet at home. In the event that schools in Sheffield do need to close, we would like to ensure those children who remain well are able to continue to learn at home. As such, we would look at providing online lessons. Of course, for those without internet access (in any form) we will need to prepare paperwork.
Yours sincerely
Mrs H Best
Principal
Abbeyfield Primary Academy