For the attention of parents and carers

Changes to Covid-19 measures and guidance

On Tuesday 29 March, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, set out the next steps for living with COVID-19 in England from Friday 1 April.

Free COVID-19 tests will only be available for specific groups, including eligible patients and NHS staff, once the universal testing offer ends on Friday 1 April.

Updates guidance advises:

• Children who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with others. They can return to school when they no longer have a high temperature and they are well enough to attend. If a child has a positive Covid-19 test result the advice will be that they stay at home and avoid contact with others for 3 days.
• Adults with a positive COVID-19 test result should try to stay at home and avoid contact with others for 5 days, which is when they are most infectious. For children the advice will be 3 days.
• Adults with the symptoms of a respiratory infection, and who have a high temperature or feel unwell, should try to stay at home and avoid contact with others until they feel well enough to resume normal activities and they no longer have a high temperature.
• Regular asymptomatic is no longer recommended.