If your child develops symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 while in school, they should tell their teacher straight away. They will be taken to a designated isolation area within the school building.
The school will immediately contact the child’s parent or guardian to inform them that the child has symptoms of COVID-19.
The child’s symptoms will be assessed to determine whether they require emergency medical attention:
- if emergency care is not required, the parent or guardian will be asked to collect their child/arrange for them to come home immediately (public transport of any kind should not be used), from where they can continue self-isolation and phone their doctor for advice on further management and whether COVID-19 testing is required
- if emergency care is required, the emergency services (ambulance) will be called and the parents or guardians will be informed without delay
Appropriate cleaning of the isolation area will be conducted when the symptomatic child has vacated the room.
If there are positive cases in the school the Public Health doctors will work with the staff to deal with the situation.
Public Health doctors consider many factors when they risk assess an outbreak of COVID-19 in a school, including:
- where the cases have been in the school
- what class they are in
- what contact have they had with other children or staff
- what is the size and configuration of the school
- what is the level of interaction between students, and between students and staff
- what COVID-19 prevention or infection prevention control measures are in place in the school and how well are they monitored and adhered to
- where have confirmed cases been outside of the school environment. For example, have they been in a social or household situation where they may have picked up COVID-19
