Published Date: Aug 14th, 2020
Executive Director for Education and Children's Services, Carrie Lindsay and Director of Public Health for NHS Fife, Dona Milne, have written a joint letter to parents this afternoon, urging them to play their part in helping keep everyone safe and our schools open.
Dear Parent/Carer
We have been delighted to welcome our children back to school this week for the first time in five months.
The reason we have been able to open our schools again is because as individuals and as a nation we followed the rules of lockdown, we kept social distancing and the virus was suppressed. But Covid-19 hasn’t gone away. If we want our schools to remain open, we all need to play our part in keeping it at bay.
All our schools have plans in place in the event that someone becomes ill while in school but we need you to play your part.
Please do not send your children to school if you suspect someone in the household may have COVID-19. Familiarise yourself with the symptoms and make sure you know what to do if you think someone is unwell. Further advice can be found at coronavirus.nhsfife.org
If a member of your household has symptoms you should book a test as soon as possible, which is as soon as symptoms first appear. Your household must quarantine for 14 days. This means staying at home and not having contact with other people to avoid further spread of the virus.
You can request a Coronavirus test at the UK Government Citizens’ Portal.
Tests can also be arranged by calling 0800 028 2816.
You can choose whether to attend one of the testing sites in Scotland or, subject to availability, to have a home testing kit delivered to your home.
If your family have returned from one of the foreign countries where you are required to quarantine for 14 days, you must not send your children to school under any circumstances during that period. There are no exceptions.
Please follow this advice and help us keep our schools open.
We need to remember that all the usual childhood infections are still out there too, like colds and sickness bugs. There may be an increased risk of catching these common, childhood illnesses after months in lockdown so please follow the advice if your child is sick. Following a bout of sickness or diarrhoea your child must stay at home for 48 hours, from the last symptoms.
We are all delighted to have your children back in our schools. We want to help them reconnect with their friends, their teachers and their learning. We need your help to do everything you can and help all of our children be safe at school.
Stay safe
Yours sincerely
Carrie Lindsay,
Executive Director (Education & Children’s Services)
And
Dona Milne,
Director of Public Health, NHS Fife