Current PHA Guidance - Covid-19 and Close Contacts

The school will follow the most recent guidance from the PHA for children and staff in the event of a positive case of Covid-19 within the school, or in the event of a child or staff member being classed as a close contact. Please read the information below and pay special attention to the section in bold (Young People).

Coronavirus (COVID-19): self-isolating

If you have symptoms of or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 you must follow the self-isolation guidance below. You should also self-isolate if you are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 if you’re not fully vaccinated.

If you have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), however mild, you should begin self-isolating and book a PCR test. These are widely available and are free.

You should continue to isolate until the result of the test is available. If the result is positive you should continue to self-isolate for 10 full days after the symptoms started.

You can end self-isolation 10 days after your symptoms started, as long as you do not still have a high temperature. If you still have a high temperature, you need to continue to self-isolate until your temperature has returned to normal for 48 hours.

You do not need to continue self-isolating for more than 10 days if you only have a cough or loss of sense of smell/ taste, as these symptoms can last for several weeks after the infection has gone.

Close contacts of COVID-19

If you’re a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, self-isolation and testing requirements will depend on whether you’re fully vaccinated, your age and where you work.

A close contact can be:

• anyone who lives in the same household as someone with COVID-19 symptoms or who has tested positive for COVID-19

OR

• anyone who has had any of the following types of contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 with a PCR test:

• face-to-face contact including being coughed on or having a face-to-face conversation within one metre
• skin-to-skin physical contact for any length of time
• been within one metre for one minute or longer without face-to-face contact
• been within two metres of someone for more than 15 minutes (either as a one-off contact, or added up together over one day)
• travelled in the same vehicle or a plane

Aged 18 and over and not fully vaccinated

• If you are aged 18 and over, but not fully vaccinated, you should self-isolate for 10 days following last contact with the positive person.
• You will be asked to take a PCR but, even if this is negative, you still need to complete the isolation period.
• If you are not able to be vaccinated for a clinical reason, you should complete a period of self-isolation for the full 10 days, even if you receive a negative PCR test result.

Fully vaccinated close contacts

• Since 16^th August 2021, if you are fully vaccinated (more than 14 days since you received the second dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine), you do not need to self-isolate for 10 days if someone you have been in close contact with tests positive for COVID-19.
• You should get a PCR test on day 2 and day 8 of the 10-day period following last contact with the positive person.
• If the PCR test is positive, whether or not you have symptoms, you should complete a period of 10 days self-isolation from the day you first had symptoms, or the day the test was taken if there were no symptoms.
• Even if you’re fully vaccinated, if you have been identified as a close contact, you are advised not to visit hospitals or care homes for 10 days and to minimise contact with those known to be at higher risk if they contract COVID-19, such as the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable Group (CEV) for 10 days.

Young people (P1-7)

• Young people (P1-7) who are not fully vaccinated and are identified as close contacts should self-isolate and book a PCR test as soon as possible (in the event of a positive case within a bubble, all those identified as close contacts will be sent home immediately).
• If the PCR test is negative, they can end their self-isolation and should arrange to take another PCR test 8 days after the last known contact (if negative, they can return to school unless they are showing symptoms). Parents can email the negative result to the school in advance of the return.
• If the young person who is a close contact develops symptoms at any time they should immediately self-isolate and book a PCR test, even if the earlier PCR tests were negative.
• If any of the PCR tests are positive, this means they have the infection and they should self-isolate for 10 days, in line with advice for confirmed cases.

Close contacts with positive PCR test in the past 90 days

If you're a close contact who is fully vaccinated, or under the age of 18, and have had a positive PCR test within 90 days of the date of contact, you do not need to isolate and do not need to book tests at day two and day eight.

However, if you develop symptoms, you should isolate and book a PCR.

• If the member of staff in the class bubble where a child has tested positive, has had contact with other children or staff, it is not necessary for those children or staff to self-isolate unless the member of staff themselves tests positive. It is recommended that the member of staff is tested wherever possible. We will look at each case on a case by case basis which may result in closing to certain classes/year groups.
• As part of the Government’s new track and trace program, the local health investigation team may carry out an assessment at the school if there is an outbreak across the setting. They will advise on future action.
• Deep clean of core areas will take place.
• Core reminders of hygiene for those remaining in school on return.