The virus continues to cause mild illness for most people and only causes severe symptoms in people with prior health conditions. Public Health England advises that the risk to individuals in the UK remains low. Please inform the school if you or any member of your household has recently returned from any of the affected countries in which case all members of your household must remain at home and follow governmental advice.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas/covid-19- specified-countries-and-areas-with-implications-for-returning-travellers-or-visitors-arriving-in-the-uk

Where to find the latest information

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public 

How COVID-19 is spread

From what we know about other coronaviruses, spread of Covid-19 is most likely to happen when there is close contact (within 2 metres) with an infected person. It is likely that the risk increases the longer someone has close contact with an infected person. Droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes (termed respiratory secretions) containing the virus are most likely to be the most important means of transmission. There are 2 routes by which people could become infected:

• secretions can be directly transferred into the mouths or noses of people who are nearby (within 2 metres) or could be inhaled into the lungs
• it is also possible that someone may become infected by touching a surface or object that has been contaminated with respiratory secretions and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes (such as touching a door knob or shaking hands then touching own face).

There is currently no good evidence that people who do not have symptoms are infectious to others.