COVID-19 Information
Current Government Guidelines, updated 1st April 2022
From Friday 1st April 2022, the government has removed some COVID-19 restrictions and introduced new guidance as set out in its Living with COVID-19 plan.
Pupils are no longer expected to routinely test for COVID-19 to attend school. However if your child is unwell and has a high temperature they should stay at home and avoid contact with other people where they can. They can go back to school, college or childcare when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough to attend. If a child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, slight cough who are otherwise well they should continue to go to school.
From Friday 1st April, children and young people aged 18 and under who have a positive COVID test will be advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for three days.
Children and young people who usually go to school, college or childcare and who live with someone who has a positive COVID-19 test result should continue to attend as normal.
Schools will keep in place baseline infection and prevention and control measures to help manage the spread of infection. Schools will:
- Encourage pupils to take up the offer of the national vaccination programme including COVID-19 and flu
- Ensure occupied spaces are well-ventilated and let fresh air in
- Reinforce good hygiene practices such as hand-washing and cleaning
From Friday 1st April, the in-school COVID-19 vaccination programme for 12 – 15 year olds will come to an end. However 12 – 15 year olds can still access the vaccine outside of schools at a vaccination centre, pharmacy or walk in centre. Parents can book a Covid-19 vaccination appointment online or by speaking to their GP or calling 119. Alternatively, they can find a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination site. We would encourage all our pupils to have their vaccines.
From April, healthy 5-11 year olds will also be offered the COVID vaccine. Vaccinations will take place outside of schools in vaccination centres, pharmacies, GPs and walk-in centres. Parents of 5-11 year olds will receive a letter from the NHS with further information. Online bookings for 5-11 year olds will open in April.
Wiltshire Council is asking people to continue to be courteous of others with local case rates still high, by wearing a face covering in indoor crowded spaces, practising good hand and respiratory hygiene and continuing to stay at home if they are unwell to limit the transmission of all infectious diseases.
Free universal symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public in England will end from Friday 1st April however limited free COVID-19 testing for vulnerable groups and some health and social care workers will continue to be made available nationally as per the government’s policy. Wiltshire Council’s seven lateral flow test collection sites have now closed as required through this national policy change.
Useful links:
There is more detailed guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19 here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19
People can find out about getting their COVID-19 vaccination (including the recently announced additional booster) and more information here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/
Guidance on infection prevention and control for seasonal respiratory infections including COVID-19: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control
The latest Government announcement on the Living with COVID-19 plan: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-sets-out-next-steps-for-living-with-covid
Wiltshire Council won’t be routinely publishing the latest local COVID-19 case numbers but the latest information can be found at https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/cases?areaType=ltla&areaName=Wiltshire