Current information for parents

Symptoms of coronavirus (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.
 
What to do if you have symptoms
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have symptoms of COVID-19 and either:
  • you have a high temperature
  • you do not feel well enough to go to work or do your normal activities
Take extra care to avoid close contact with anyone who is at higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19. You can go back to your normal activities when you feel better or do not have a high temperature.
 
Changes to testing for COVID-19
Free testing for COVID-19 from the NHS has ended for most people in England. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you are no longer required to do a rapid lateral flow or PCR test. If you still want to get tested and you're not eligible for a free NHS test, you must pay for a COVID-19 test yourself.
 
According to public health advice, the recommended self-isolation period for a confirmed case of COVID-19 is now a 5 days for adults and 3 days for children. To calculate the period of self-isolation, count as day 1
  • the first day following the onset of symptoms, or
  • the day after the test was taken if you/ they were not symptomatic first
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