Protect your child from COVID-19 by:
- keeping them up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination
- following advice on preventing the spread of viral infections
- asking them to wash their hands regularly and properly - watch a video on teaching your child to wash their hands
- protecting yourself and others from COVID-19
If your child has symptoms
Your child should stay at home and avoid contact with other people if:
they have symptoms of COVID-19 and:
- are unwell
- have a high temperature (38 degrees Celsius or higher)
Your child does not need a COVID-19 test unless a GP or health professional advises them to have one.
Urgent advice: Phone your GP if your child:
- is aged 3 months or younger and has symptoms
Sending your child to school
All children should go to school unless they have:
- symptoms of COVID-19 - if a runny nose or sneezing is their only symptom, it's OK to send them
- a high temperature (38 degrees Celsius or higher)
- tested positive for COVID-19
When it’s ok to send your child to school or childcare
Children with health conditions
The risk of severe illness from COVID-19 seems to be low, even if your child has:
- an underlying health condition
- special healthcare needs or educational needs
But children with underlying health conditions may be vulnerable to any infection. If you're worried about your child's health condition, ask their specialist team for advice.
Protect a child with a health condition
Do
-
keep up to date with COVID-19 vaccination
-
watch out for symptoms of COVID-19 - contact your GP if you notice any new or changed symptoms
-
follow the advice on good hygiene and hand washing
School and children with health conditions
There is no reason a child with any of the following health conditions cannot go to school:
- asthma
- cystic fibrosis
- diabetes
- inflammatory bowel disease
- neurodisability
Children may need to stay away from school for some time if they have been told to do so because they have:
- recently had a transplant
- severe immunodeficiency from very recent cancer treatment
- unstable or severe cystic fibrosis
Their specialist can tell you if your child needs to take any extra precautions. Contact the specialist and GP straight away if your child gets COVID-19.
If your child gets COVID-19
Children who get COVID-19 generally get a milder infection than adults. They often have no symptoms of COVID-19.
A small number of children with COVID-19 have developed an inflammatory syndrome called paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS). This condition is very rare.