UKHSA Issues Health Advice Following the Half-term Break

As children across the country return to their classrooms after the half term break, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is reminding parents of the simple steps they can take to reduce the spread of stomach bugs and winter illnesses to ensure they stay healthy this term and keep strong this winter.

We are now beginning to see cases of flu and norovirus increasing as we head into the winter months, with norovirus activity in the past two weeks more than double the 5-season average for the same 2-week period and flu steadily increasing over the past few weeks.

Teaching good hygiene habits

Parents are urged to encourage good hygiene habits in their families, such as handwashing and using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes. 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.

Knowing when to keep your child at home and when to send them to school

Children are encouraged to stay in school or nursery 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 (they should stay home until the fever has passed and they are well enough to attend) or diarrhoea and vomiting (children should stay home for at least 48 hours after these symptoms clear up).