What to do if there is a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in school

Here is a flowchart summaring these steps: What do do if there is a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in a school

If at home, a student or staff member develops symptoms of COVID-19 (fever>37.8, has a continuous cough or loss of taste and / or smell):

• School to advise that staff member or student should:
  • not return to school for at least 10 days and should follow guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection.
  • get tested as soon as symptoms start via the NHS testing website or calling 119

If at school, a student or staff member develops symptoms of COVID-19 (fever > 37.8, has a continuous cough or loss of taste and / or smell)

• Send them home and advise them to follow the guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection.
• If a student is awaiting collection, the school should also follow guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings.

School to:

• Follow guidance on cleaning
• Ensure stock of PPE in case further symptomatic cases on site
• Await test results (48-72 hours)

If a household member of staff or student develops symptoms of COVID-19

• They must stay at home and not come to school,
• and follow guidance for contacts of people with possible or confirmed coronavirus who do not live with the person including isolation for 10 days

Does a child or staff member develop symptoms in the next 10 days?

If no symptons develop, no further action – after 10 days the student or staff member can return to school

Does the student / staff member test positive or negative for COVID-19?

If the test result is positive, school to:

A single case:

1. Refer to LCRC school resource pack for guidance regarding further actions. This resource will help you access the latest public health advice and work through a risk assessment to identify close contacts,
2. Further support is available from the DfE helpline 0800 046 8687 (Monday to Friday: 8am-6pm, and Sat/Sun:10am-4pm) or Ealing Public Health team publichealth@ealing.gov.uk

Special schools should still directly contact Public Health England London Coronavirus Response Cell (LCRC) on 0300 303 0450 for a single confirmed case.

3. Inform Raj Chowdhury (ChowdhuryR@ealing.gov.uk or 07568 130165) or Steve Dunham (DunhamS@ealing.gov.uk or 07940 546 263) and the Council’s public health team (publichealth@ealing.gov.uk).

Multiple cases:

1. Only cases meeting threshold criteria will need to be escalated to LCRC. The criteria for contacting LCRC is available in the resource pack (page 21)
2. Contact Public Health England London Coronavirus Response Cell (LCRC) on 0300 303 0450
3. Inform Raj Chowdhury/ Steve Dunham and the Council’s public health team (contact details above)

Track and trace

Anyone who has tested positive should be encouraged to participate in the NHS test and trace process.

If the test result is negative, the staff members or students can return to school if they are well, with no fever for 48 hours.

If staff member / student has previously been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 (and has entered this flowchart via scenario 3 or 4), they still need to complete the 10 day isolation period.

They can return to school after 10 days if they are well and have had no fever for 48 hours.

Public Health England will work with the school to:

• Undertake a risk assessment
• Identify and notify close contacts (e.g. students and staff within the relevant ‘bubble’) of the need to follow guidance for contacts of people with possible or confirmed coronavirus who do not live with the person including isolation for 10 days
• Identify any further actions needed

Any students or staff members who go on to develop symptoms should inform the school as soon as possible and repeat the process from the beginning.

Public Health England will work with the school to implement any further measures.

After 10 days, if children or staff members do not develop symptoms, they can return to school.

What is a contact?

A ‘contact’ is a person who has been close to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 anytime from 2 days before the person was symptomatic up to 10 days from onset of symptoms (this is when they are infectious to others). For example, a contact can be:

• people who spend significant time in the same household as a person who has tested positive for COVID-19
• a person who has had face-to-face contact (within one metre), with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, including:
  • being coughed on
  • having a face-to-face conversation within one metre
  • having skin-to-skin physical contact, or
  • contact within one metre for one minute or longer without face-to-face contact
• a person who has been within 2 metres of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes
• a person who has travelled in a small vehicle with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or in a large vehicle or plane near someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Read about how schools can inform close contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case.