A number of schools both primary and post-primary in Northern Ireland have had to close their doors after clusters of coronavirus in their community.
These closures allow schools to carry out a deep clean to ensure the safety of all staff and students within their building and an isolation period if advised.
And at an unsettling time for teachers, children and parents, we've broken down the Department of Education's guidance on coronavirus within schools and what you should do in certain scenarios.
You should book a Covid-19 test if your child has at least one of the following:
A high temperature - This means if they feel hot to touch on the chest or back. You do not need to measure their temperature.
A new continuous cough - This means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours. If your child usually has a cough, it may be worse than usual).
A loss or change to their sense of smell or taste - They've noticed they cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.
If your child does not have symptoms of coronavirus but has other cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, they do not need to be tested and they or members of your household do not need to self-isolate. Your child can attend school if fit to do so.
What to do if your child has symptoms?
- Do not send your child to school
- Book a Covid-19 test
- Household self-isolates
- Inform school immediately about test results
If the test is negative, your child can return to school, providing your child is well enough, have not had a fever for 48 hours and if they haven't been advised to self-isolate by the PHA Contact Tracing Service.
If your child tests positive for Covid-19
- Do not send your child to school
- Inform school immediately
- Self-isolate for at least 10 days as advised by the PHA
Your child can return to school after 10 days even if they still have a cough/loss of smell or taste. These symptoms can last for several weeks.
What to do if someone in your household has symptoms
- Do not send your child to school
- The household member should book a Covid-19 test
- Household self-isolated
- Inform school of test result immediately
Your child can return to school if the symptomatic household member's test result is negative and if they haven't been advised to self-isolate by the PHA Contact Tracing Service.
If Contact Tracing identifies your child as a close contact
- Do not send your child to school
- Self-isolate for at least 14 days as advised by the PHA Contact Tracing Service.
Your child can return to school when they have completed 14 days of self-isolation without any symptoms. If your child has been identified as a close contact of a case of the virus, they must isolate for 14 days regardless of a negative Covid-19 test result.
Your child has been in contact with some identified as a close contact
- Attend school as normal
- If your child does not have any symptoms of Covid-19 they should carry on with normal activities.
Your child has travelled abroad and has to self-isolate
- Do not send your child to school
- Self-isolate for 14 days in line with quarantine advice
Your child can return to school when they have completed 14 days of self-isolation without any symptoms. If your child has returned from travel abroad and is self-isolating, they must isolate for 14 days regardless of a negative Covid-19 test result.
