NHS Tayside has published guidance for parents and carers on how cases of Covid-19 will be managed when pupils return to school.
The Health Protection Team (HPT) at the health board will responsible for dealing with any identified cases in schools across the region.
Their core function is to monitor infectious diseases and responding to cases by identifying the source and stopping the spread.
To do this, they have produced guidance detailed on how pupils and school staff members should act if they are concerned they have the virus.
Showing symptoms
If any pupils or staff members are showing symptoms of the virus, they are not to attend the school premises.
That individual, along with the rest of their household, should then isolate immediately and arrange to be tested for Covid-19.
If someone develops symptoms of the virus whilst at school they should be isolated until they are to be collected and taken home.
In addition, any household members should go home to isolate.
Returning to school
If someone tests positive for Covid-19, they can return to school after they have completed the 10 day isolation period and if they are feeling better.
It is not required for them to be tested again before they return to school.
If they are tested and receive a negative result, they can return when they are feeling better and providing that no one else in their household is feeling unwell.
What if a family member is unwell?
All members of a household are required to isolate until either:
- the individual who is displaying symptoms is tested for the virus and the result is negative or
- they have completed 14 days of isolation if the person is confirmed to have tested positive for Covid-19
How can the whole household isolate?
All members of the household should remain at home and not attend work, school, public areas or use public transport. The household will also be prohibited from from leaving to buy food and other essentials.
If a parent and carer is required to isolate but their child does not, or has finished their own isolation period, they should not take the child to school or pick them up.
Contact tracing
Any person with a new confirmed positive case of Covid-19 will be contacted by the tracing team.
Contact tracing involves gathering details of close contacts during the infectious period including settings where they have been during this time, such as schools.
Cases in schools
Public health will be automatically informed of all new Covid-19 cases.
If that person is associated with a school, that school should then contact NHS Tayside’s HPT if they become aware of any positive case in the pupils or staff.
Two or more cases in a 14 day period will be considered as an outbreak.
