Provider Resources

Health Protection Resources (Infectious Diseases)

For guidance on preventing and controlling infections, including information on cleaning and managing outbreaks please see: Health protection in schools and childcare facilities

Please also see some useful resources below:

• Infection Prevention Checklist
• Winter Illness in Children Guidance Leaflet
• Winter Infections Covering Letter for parents
• Norovirus Guidance
• Should I keep my child off school leaflet/poster

Signs and symptoms of COVID-19

Children and young people usually have a mild illness and most get better in a few days. Symptoms of COVID-19 can include:

• a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
• shortness of breath
• feeling tired or exhausted
• an aching body
• a headache
• a sore throat
• a blocked or runny nose
• loss of appetite
• diarrhoea
• feeling sick or being sick

The symptoms are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such as colds and flu. 

Symptomatic staff and children in Early Years settings

Adults and children with symptoms of a respiratory illness should be recommended to stay at home until they are well and no longer have a temperature. National guidance recommends that children with only mild symptoms of a runny nose, sore throat, slight cough, who are otherwise well can still attend settings. When there is a known COVID-19 outbreak within the setting, having a lower threshold for individuals with milder symptoms may be considered.

Advise on other infectious diseases can be found here: Health protection in childcare settings

Managing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreaks in childcare settings

Early Years and Public Health colleagues are available to provide advice and support to settings / providers if needed. In the event you have rising case numbers or any concerns, please contact: Coventry’s Health Protection Team HPTeam@coventry.gov.uk

In an outbreak situation, providers should aim to operate as normally as possible. Settings can choose to revise delivery models or increase COVID-19 security measures for a short period of time. Checklist for actions that can be taken in response to rising case numbers: COVID-19 Early Years Management Checklist

Where there are high numbers of staff/children unwell with respiratory symptoms, but it is not clear if it is or isn't COVID-19, keeping parents informed and asking them to be vigilant for symptoms is recommended. A template letter is available: Letter for parents - close contacts in a provision February 2023

Please see Emergency planning and response for education, childcare, and children’s social care settings, which outlines how early years settings should operate in the event of a significant public health incident.

Vulnerable individuals

There is no requirement for every employer to explicitly consider COVID-19 in their risk assessments. However, please ensure you are up to date with respect to risk assessments for individuals who are at higher risk of more serious complications from COVID-19, for example pregnant staff:

People at higher risk from coronavirus (Covid -19)

COVID-19: guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk

Vaccination

It is recommended that all staff take up the offer of a vaccine. Vaccines are our best defence against COVID-19. Vaccination makes people less likely to catch the virus and less likely to pass it on. Please encourage vaccine take up among staff / parents and eligible children.

Coventry Music Service - Wash Your Hands song

Coventry Music Service has worked in conjunction with one of the training providers to put together the following handwashing song Wash My Hands ( MP3 - 1.6 MB)