UKHSA: Keep kids at home if they are sick, unwell adults should wear a facemask.
It seems that a collapsing National Health Service has finally stirred the UK Health Security Agency from its winter slumberfest, forcing them to issue a decree telling parents to keep their kids at home if they are sick. Adults who aren’t well should wear a facemask. This advice comes just ONE DAY before schools are due to resume following the winter break.
It’s important to minimise the spread of infection in schools and other education and childcare settings as much as possible. If your child is unwell and has a fever, they should stay home from school or nursery until they feel better and the fever has resolved.
Helping children to learn about the importance of good hand hygiene is also key, so practice regular handwashing at home with soap and warm water. Catching coughs and sneezes in tissues then binning them is another simple way to help stop illness from spreading.
Adults should also try to stay home when unwell and if you do have to go out, wear a face covering. When unwell don’t visit healthcare settings or visit vulnerable people unless urgent.
Remember that flu vaccination is still available for all eligible groups and is the best protection against the virus. We have seen good uptake in older age groups but vaccination among young children remains low. Flu can be very unpleasant and in some cases can lead to more serious illness. Getting your child vaccinated protects them and others they come into contact with, and it’s still not too late.
Eligible children include:
those aged 2 and 3 on 31 August 2022 all primary school-aged children some secondary school-aged children
** These mitigations are far too little, far too late, and have been completely undermined by government messaging throughout the rest of the year. When will they ever learn? **
France has enacted new regulations controlling air quality in schools and nurseries. Why isn’t every government doing the same?
UPDATE: On the very day kids go back to school in Britain, UK Health Secretary Steve Barclay finally understands that his government’s Covid policy is a never-ending train wreck:
Flu and Covid have put “massive pressure” on the NHS and reducing backlogs caused by the pandemic will “take time”, Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said.
It comes as a woman who waited 25 hours at an emergency department to be seen told the BBC it was “like a war movie”.
