Dear Parents and Carers,
Coronavirus/Covid-19 Update
I am writing to let you know the latest information and actions the Nursery is taking amid a rapidly changing situation. The Nursery is following the Government’s latest guidance for educational settings which can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19
As you will be aware, regular updates from the authorities are being received as more knowledge is gained.
In these challenging and unprecedented times with events rapidly evolving please be reassured we will follow the advice always bearing in mind the best interests of the Nursery and the wider community.
We are asking anyone (parent/guardian, child, member of staff, volunteer or anyone who comes in person to the Nursery) who shows any of the following symptoms to self-isolate for 14 days. This is regardless of whether they have travelled to affected areas. The symptoms are:
- a high temperature
- a new, continuous cough
People should stay at home and avoid all but essential contact with others for 14 days from the point of displaying mild symptoms in order to slow the spread of infection. If you have any of these symptoms you are advised to refer to https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19.
Government guidelines now mandate that anyone living with you should also stay at home for 14 days.
Should you decide to withdraw your child because either your child or a person living with your child shows symptoms, please could you let us know that this is the reason for withdrawing the child. We will treat this information with the utmost confidentiality. It will just help us to be aware and to adjust our plans, if necessary, to protect the wider community.
We fully support parents making their own decision regarding their children who are deemed ‘higher risk’.
The Chief Medical Officer has advised that the impact of closing schools on both children’s education and on the workforce will be substantial, but the benefit to public health may not be. The Government has advised that decisions on future advice to schools will be taken based on the latest and best scientific evidence, which at this stage suggests children are a lower risk group. Current advice remains in place: no education or children’s social care setting should close in response to a suspected or confirmed Covid-19 case unless advised to do so by Public Health England.
On a practical note, parents are strongly encouraged to continue to insist their children and others wash their hands thoroughly as advised by Public Health England. The following are general principles issued by PHE that everyone should be following to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:
Wash your hands:
- before leaving home
- on arrival at Nursery
- after using the toilet
- after breaks and sporting activities
- before food preparation
- before eating any food, including snacks
- before leaving Nursery
- after taking public transport
- use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available
- cover any coughs or sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin
- avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- people who feel unwell should stay at home and should not attend work or any education or childcare setting
- avoid close contact with people who are unwell
- clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
- if you are worried about your symptoms or those of a child or colleague, please go to NHS 111 online. Do not phone them unless absolutely necessary.
- do not go directly to your GP or other healthcare environment
See further information on the Public Health England Blog and the NHS UK website. The Department of Education has a special helpline to answer questions about Covid-19 related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline:
Phone: 0800 046 8687
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday), 10am to 4pm (Saturday to Sunday)
E mail: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
We will endeavour to provide up-to-date essential information about the virus and about our approach to it on our own website at https://sdn.org.uk/page37.html
Please be reassured that any staff with symptoms will self-isolate in line with Government guidelines.
Sue Dreksler
Chair of Trustees
Sevenoaks Day Nursery CIO
