Lothian NHS Board
Waverley Gate
2-4 Waterloo Place
Edinburgh
EH1 3EG
Telephone 0131 536 9000
www.nhslothian.scot
CONFIDENTIAL
To All Parents/Carers and Staff
Date 21 September 2020
Dear Parent/Carer and Staff,
There has been a small number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 within Gracemount High school.
A risk assessment has been carried out by Public Health and the School. Young people and staff who have been in direct contact with the case have been identified and told to self isolate.
The school remains open and if your young person has not been contacted then they should continue to attend school if they remain well.
What to do if your young person develops symptoms of COVID-19
· If your young person develops symptoms of COVID-19 they must not come to school. They should stay at home from when their symptoms started, self-isolate, and get tested for COVID-19. Find out more on NHS Inform. The symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:
o a new continuous cough and/or
o a high temperature and/or
o a loss of, or change in, taste or smell (anosmia).
· All other household members of your young person (including yourself) must also stay at home and self-isolate as well until the result of the test is received. The household should then follow the advice that will be given with the test result.
· If the test is positive, your young person should remain in self-isolation for at least 10 days from the date their symptoms started, and the rest of the household must remain in self-isolation for the full 14 days from the day when your young person first had symptoms:
o Household members should not go to work or school. No one should visit your house. No one should leave your house to go to shops, public areas, or use public transport. See website below for more information.
o Staying at home for 14 days will help stop the spread of coronavirus
o If someone else in the household goes on to develop symptoms of COVID-19 in this 14 day period, then they should continue to self-isolate and arrange to be tested.
· If your young person’s test is negative, they can come out of isolation and return to school if they are well enough to do so (as per standard school illness policy), and they have not had a fever for 48 hours. The rest of the household can also come out of self-isolation and return to their usual activitives.
· It is important that anyone with one or more of the COVID-19 symptoms gets tested, so that anyone who tests positive knows to continue to stay at home (with their household) and self-isolate. This will help stop the spread of coronavirus.
For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
If your young person develops symptoms you can seek advice from NHS Inform.
How to stop COVID-19 spreading
There are things you can do to reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19. Do:
· regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
· use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
· wash your hands as soon as you get home
· cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
· put used tissues straight in the bin and wash your hands.
Further Information
For School related Coronavirus FAQs: https://www.nhslothian.scot/Coronavirus/Parents/Schools/Pages/default.aspx
For general Coronavirus FAQs and information:
https://www.parentclub.scot/topics/coronavirus/coronavirus-faq?age=0
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-1
Yours sincerely
Dr Duncan McCormick
Consultant in Public Health Medicine
Your Ref HPT/DMC/fs
Our Ref Health Protection Team
Enquiries to Health Protection Team
Extension 35420/35422
Direct Line 0131 465 5422/5420
Email health.protection@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
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