UKHSA urges parents and carers to take these simple steps to
ensure children make the healthiest start to the New Year.
The UK Health Security Agency is reminding parents and carers of
the simple steps they can take to ensure their children make the
healthiest start to the new school term. The new year brings with
it an opportunity to teach children about the importance of good
hygiene and with the recent increase in cases of flu and high
levels of other respiratory viruses such as COVID and RSV as well
as norovirus, it's more important than ever.
The latest surveillance data from UKHSA shows that flu activity
continued to increase over the Christmas break, with
hospitalisations also increasing. Flu is now circulating at high
levels in the community, an increase on the levels we saw before
the school holidays, which is why it's especially important to
reinforce good hygiene habits as children return to school.
Figures are expected to rise further as children go back to
school and many parents return to the workplace. However, there
are simple steps that all families can take to reduce the spread
of these infections and protect households and classrooms from
illness this New Year.
Teaching good hygiene habits
Parents are encouraged to lead by example and encourage good
hygiene habits such as using a tissue to catch coughs and
sneezes, as well as washing
hands. Regularly washing your hands with soap and warm water
for 20 seconds, or using hand sanitiser when convenient, is one
of the most effective ways to stop the spread of germs. Alcohol
gels don't kill all bugs so don't rely on these.
Knowing when to keep your child at home and when to send
them to school
January marks the start of a new term, with new things to learn
and friends to make. Time off school can disrupt learning and
also inconvenience parents and carers having to stay off work.
This is why it's important to know when to keep your child at
home and when to send them to school. Children can stay in school
with symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or slight cough
if otherwise well and do not have a high temperature but should
stay home if they're displaying symptoms such as having a fever.
If your child has diarrhoea and vomiting, they should stay home
for at least 48 hours after these symptoms clear up.
If you have symptoms of flu or COVID-19 such as a high
temperature, cough and feeling tired and achy, try to limit your
contact with others. If you have symptoms and need to leave the
house, you should consider wearing a face covering.
Stopping the spread of stomach bugs
Stomach bugs spread easily in schools, nurseries and households.
If you or your child have diarrhoea and vomiting, washing your
hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to
clean surfaces will help stop infections from spreading. Alcohol
gels do not kill off norovirus so soap and warm water is best.
Don't prepare food for others if you have diarrhoea or vomiting
or for 48 hours after symptoms stop. If you are unwell, you
should also avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to
avoid passing on the infection to those who are more vulnerable.
Do not to return to school, nursery or work until 48 hours after
symptoms have stopped.
Getting vaccinated
Flu vaccination helps to protect against infection and severe
disease. Although it is late in the programme, if you are
eligible and not yet vaccinated, you can still take up your offer
of immunisation.
Last year, falling vaccination rates among young children
resulted in a widespread measles outbreak in England, which is
why it's important to check your children are up-to-date with
their routine vaccinations, which protect against diseases such
as measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria and polio. If parents are
unsure of their child's vaccination status, they can check their
child's red book or contact their local GP.
If you are pregnant, it's also important that you take up all
vaccinations offered to you, including whooping cough and the new
RSV vaccine which protects newborn babies against serious
illness.
Dr Richard Pebody, Director, Clinical & Emerging Infections
at UKHSA, said:
It's an important time of year, as children get started on the
new school term. There are simple steps you can take to help stop
the spread of nasty illness in the next few weeks of winter,
including making sure your child is regularly washing their
hands, knowing when to keep your child off school and ensuring
they are up to date with vaccinations.
