UPDATED COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

Children with Symptoms of a Respiratory Infection including Covid-19

Updated Symptoms of Covid-19

Symptoms of COVID-19, flu and common respiratory infections include:

  • continuous cough
  • high temperature, fever or chills
  • loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell
  • shortness of breath
  • unexplained tiredness, lack of energy
  • muscle aches or pains that are not due to exercise
  • not wanting to eat or not feeling hungry
  • headache that is unusual or longer lasting than usual
  • sore throat, stuffy or runny nose
  • diarrhoea, feeling sick or being sick

What to do if your son has symptoms of a respiratory infection, including Covid-19, but has not taken a Covid test
If your son has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, and is otherwise well, he can continue to attend school.
If your son is unwell and/or has a high temperature he should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where possible. He can return to school and resume normal activities when he no longer has a high temperature and is well enough to attend.

What to do if your son has a positive Covid test
It is not recommended that children and young people are tested for COVID-19 unless directed to by a health professional. Free lateral flow tests for home use are no longer available from school. 

If your son has a positive COVID-19 test result he should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day he took the test, if they can. Please do not send your son to school even if he feels well. After 3 days, if your son feels well and does not have a high temperature, the risk of passing the infection on to others is much lower and he can return to school. This is because children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults.

The full government advice, including how to reduce the spread of infection and separate guidance for clinically vulnerable people, can be found here.