September 2021/22 New school year and steps to COVID 19 contact tracing. Testing remains important in reducing the risk of infection transmission within schools. The Department of Education issued new guidelines and I would therefore like to confirm students at XP School and East School will be offered two Lateral Flow Tests on their first week back at school.
The new test is an Acon-Flowflex, which requires nasal swabs only. The test will return a result in 20 minutes. Students will need to register for the tests they take in school on their mobile phones through the NHS app, support from crew leaders and staff is offered to students for registering the test on their phones.
Students will also be offered and issued with home testing kits when they return to school for use during September. If a student should develop symptoms of Covid 19 or test positive they will not remain in school until a result is confirmed from a further PCR test. Students again do not attend school if a positive result from the home test kit is showing.
The Department of Education issued new guidelines;
Unvaccinated young people up to the age of 18 years and 6 months and fully vaccinated adults, are no longer required to self-isolate if they live in the same household as someone with COVID-19, or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19. Those identified as a close contact will be informed by NHS Test and Trace that they have been in close contact with a positive case and advised to take a PCR test. We strongly encourage all individuals to take a PCR test if advised to do so. There is no requirement to self-isolate while awaiting PCR test results and so individuals can attend their setting as usual.
Children and young people who attend an education or childcare setting and who have been identified as a close contact, should continue to attend their setting as normal.
Pupils, students and staff members who record a positive LFD or PCR test should let their setting know. Individuals who return a positive LFD result will need to self-isolate immediately and order a confirmatory PCR test. If the PCR test is taken within 2 days and is negative, the individual no longer needs to self-isolate. If the PCR result is positive, the individual must self-isolate and contact tracing will be conducted by NHS Test & Trace.