Guidance to parents and guardians: when you should book a coronavirus test for your child

The letter explains that you should only book a test if your child has any of these 3 coronavirus symptoms:

• a high temperature: any new high temperature where your child feels hot to touch on their chest or back (you do not need to measure the temperature)
• a new continuous cough: coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
• a loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste: a noticeable loss of smell or taste or things smell and taste different to normal

Your child does not need a test if they have a runny nose, are sneezing or feeling unwell but do not have a temperature, cough or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste. This is because these are not normally symptoms of coronavirus.