Coronavirus News
Date: Monday 28th June 2021 – URGENT NEWS
Please note that we have been advised to close for a few days. We haven’t had any outbreak in the nursery, but as a precaution, we decided to close due a close contact of a staff member.
RE-OPEN WEDNESDAY 7th July 2021 at 7.00AM
Please call on 0121 624 1022 if required
Date: 17th June 2021
Dear Parents,
We have come a long way through the pandemic and most adults in the UK have now been vaccinated. As we know from the news and Covid-19 monitoring data, this is helping to significantly to reduce the risk to ourselves primarily.
As a setting we are still maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene as well as using PPE to protect staff. At present, we are continuing with the policy of not allowing parents into the setting to ensure the reduced risk to others. We will adapt our policy to changes in guidance. Our staff perform twice weekly LFT tests on themselves to ensure we any outbreak is monitored and to minimise mixing.
Please continue help us by letting us know of any changes to your own health and that of you child. If you need LFT test kits from the nursery please speak with the Nursery Manager. If you are told to isolate by NHS Track and Trace, please let us know.
Thank you for your understanding.
Dear Parents / Carers,
We received the following message from Public Health England to share with our parents / carers.
Letter to share with parents on coronavirus (COVID-19) testing
Date: 23 September 2020
Dear parents and guardians,
This is an important letter to share some information on how we can work together to make sure we can continue to give children and young people the best education in the safest way possible.
One important part of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of pupils, students, parents and our communities is testing for coronavirus. We all have a duty to make sure that the right people have access to get tested at the right time. Every time a test is used inappropriately, a person with COVID-19 symptoms may miss out on getting tested.
Therefore, I ask that you all follow these principles:
- 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 because these are not normally symptoms of coronavirus
- if you are unsure about whether to get a test, please check the official list of symptoms on the NHS website, which is reviewed regularly
- only the person with symptoms should get a test. You do not need to get a test for anyone else in the household unless they also have any of the 3 symptoms listed above. All members of the household need to self-isolate whilst waiting for the test result
- if the person with symptoms’ test comes back positive, other members of their household should continue self-isolating for 14 days and only get a test if they develop coronavirus symptoms
- if a pupil or student in a class or bubble tests positive for coronavirus, anyone who is advised to self-isolate does not require a test unless they subsequently develop symptoms.
No one else in the same class or bubble as the symptomatic person needs to take any action unless advised by the school or college. Schools and colleges have detailed guidance and access to a Department for Education and Public Health England helpline for advice and support.
Contacts of a person who has tested positive must follow the guidance carefully and in full, which means they must stay at home for 14 days. This is because it can take several days following contact with an infected person before an individual develops symptoms or the virus can be detected. Students should only book a test if they get symptoms.
The NHS has produced some guidance to help parents understand when their child can and cannot attend school which you may find useful.
It is vital for children and young people’s learning and future opportunities that they are able to return to school and college. It is therefore vitally important that all we work together and do our bit to make this possible.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Viv Bennett CBE
Chief Nurse and Director Maternity and Early Years, Public Health England
Dr Susan Hopkins
Interim Chief Medical Officer, NHS Test & Trace
Deputy Director, Public Health England
Consultant in Infectious Diseases & Microbiology, Royal Free, London
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Date: 14th May 2020:
Dear Parent / Guardian,
We are planning to re-open the nursery from Monday 1st June 2020. Please email enquiries@willowsdaynursery.co.uk, if you would like to attend or need any more information. We will conduct a risk assessment and communicate further with parents.
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Date: 17th March 2020:
Dear Parent / Carer,
With the recent outbreak of COVID-19 in the UK, we are following guidance closely from Birmingham Early Years, and the Government. The current advice is that no education or children’s social care setting should close in response to a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case unless advised to do so by Public Health England.
As this advice changes, so too will our actions, however at present, this is where we currently stand.
I wanted to re-assure you that we are taking steps to protect our children, our staff, and reduce the risk to parents. We are continually monitoring the situation.
How long do we expect to remain open?
The current advice is that we should remain open and ensure children are protected. We have already taken simple measures such as parents bringing children to the door, washing hands regularly. We are cleaning the nursery thoroughly on a daily basis as usual.
Do children have to attend?
We prefer children to attend and continue their education. It is of course parental choice, and some parents are choosing to keep children off from nursery at this time. The current guidance is that children should stay at home if they are unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature to avoid spreading infection to others. The self isolation recommended is for 14 days for a family.
If children become unwell on site with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature they will be sent home.
Do we still need to pay?
As with all businesses, we have to pay our staff and cover other costs. The government has proposed help for other businesses, but not for nurseries at this time. We will not close until ordered to do so under government guidance, and parents are encouraged to send their children unless they are unwell. For us to remain sustainable, and in line with existing contracts, childcare payments are still due, even if children do not attend due to sickness or holidays.
What if my child has a cough or fever?
Please keep your child at home until the fever and cough have gone and they are well enough to attend nursery in the usual way. Also, let the nursery know via email or phone so that we can record this in our daily log.
How will we protect our staff?
Our staff are being monitored and if anyone has a suspected case of COVID-19, they will be sent home and told to self isolate. We will inform the local authority and take guidance. Our priority is to minimise the risk of spreading the virus to others. Staying safe and healthy is our top concern.
How is the antibacterial and other product shortage impacting us?
We are continuing to buy cleaning products and ensuring the nursery environment is clean and hygienic. We have secured enough supplies to continue operating and have increased daily cleaning rotas.
Reduce risk of infection
COVID-19 is caused by a virus, and the most important thing individuals can do to protect themselves is to wash their hands more often, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water. Public Health England recommends that in addition to hand washing before eating, and after coughing and sneezing, everyone should also wash hands after using toilets and travelling on public transport.
Staying at a distance from other people and avoiding physical contact with also help to reduce infection.
What other steps are we taking?
We have a completed a risk assessment and have advisors who are guiding our response. It is most important to wash hands regularly using the usual soap for at least 20 seconds. We are encouraging children in the nursery to do so too. Also, we are following scientific advice to ensure the possibility of spreading this virus is reduced.
We continue to clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces more often an usual using your standard cleaning products.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Kind regards,
Becky
The Willows Day Nursery
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