Does this mean DD can't leave the house for 14 days?

[notevenat20]

We just received this from DD's school:

"This evening we learnt that a member of staff who has had contact with your child’s class has tested positive for covid 19. As a result your child’s class will move to home learning from Monday 19th October for the remainder of this half term. Your child should not come into school tomorrow."

Does this mean she can't leave the house for 14 days now? The letter doesn't explain this.

We had this over the weekend a couple of weeks ago. Its just a brief message informing you and then tomorrow the school will speak with public health England and you will get a formal letter/email from the school.
Your child is now in isolation so mustn't leave the house.

OMG! I don't know the answer either but from the selection of opinion this post it's no wonder COVID is spreading so fast! The
communication of these rules and restrictions is beyond a joke. How are we supposed to collectively beat this when no one knows what to do? Go to work, stay at home, eat out, don't eat out, don't go to the pub unless you're eating something bigger than a pasty, self isolate for 14 days, or 10 days, or maybe not, 6 in a garden is not ok, in a field it's fine, unless you're in a bubble, in which case do what you like. It's utter madness.

The DfE really do need to send out some better template letters to schools; it’s getting beyond a joke now.

I read it as they're doing online classes because the teacher is off and therefore teaching from home.. not that they'd had direct contact and need isolation. But yeah, it's vague at best.

Well, in theory you should. The letter is worded weird though. The letter from my DD school stated explicitly until when she’s going to have to isolate and what she should and shouldn’t do.

I would think this is a preliminary text so that no one turns up at a school tomorrow.
You should get an official letter giving you the isolation dates tomorrow, ring school if you don't get it (might be emailed)
And no one should come into your house while your child is isolating.

The email from my child’s school made it clear regarding them self isolating. They provided the dates too - 14 days.

Track and trace isn’t working with schools. You will not be notified by track and trace. This is intentional as it means the rest of you can still go to work or school.

Track and trace won't get in contact - all the information will come from the school. They'll probably clarify dates tomorrow.

I apologise. I said track and trace get in touch about isolation and not the school. Some posters have said that's not the case. I'm in Scotland and that is still the case here within my local authority (this happened when there was cases at my child's school just 2 weeks ago). Anyway, ignore me if that's not happening UK wide.

I hope you get better clarity from the school soon.

@Forgetaboutme

Track and trace will let you know if she has to isolate, not the school. The school are probably just quicker off the mark and getting the info out sooner. I would keep her in though regardless....just for a clear conscience.

How? Teachers are not using track and trace at work are they ?

Schools are advised by PHE on close contacts, but I don't think the helpline is open on a Sunday evening. The school have probably had to make a decision and gone for closing the class whilst they establish what they need to do. I'd expect further information today with what is expected, you may even find that if she doesn't count as a close contact she gets to go back to school later this week (although this will also depend on staffing).

I suspect an official letter with more detail will be coming out today, and this is a holding position of sorts for a Sunday evening while they assess fully, get things sorted etc.

The letter is badly worded as it should make it clear beyond possible doubt who is to isolate.

The school should tell you when your child last had contact, so when the 14 days starts.

My one son is in his second period of 14 day isolation this term. That's 28 days at home for a healthy teen confined to the house. No visitors.

Oh and in both periods of SI Test & Trace do not get in touch. The directive comes from the DfE letter schools send out. It used to be PHE schools called but now it's the DfE line.

@Chelsea567
You took the words out of my mouth. What a mess.

What is the rule about people coming to the house if your child is isolating?

Surely the word Isolating is self explanatory? No one can come into the house and your child should stay in it. It's really worrying if people genuinely don't understand the meaning of the word isolate.

@Alternista

The DfE really do need to send out some better template letters to schools; it’s getting beyond a joke now.

Trouble is, schools can adapt the official template letters too.

I saw one advising families of contacts (so like OP's son) also had to SI for 14 days, which is not the case, but poor parents of older kids then thinking they couldn't work or go out for 14 days either!

Contact the school. I know of children in the area who have been told they don't have to isolate but they are off school for the next two weeks due to covid-19. I'm not 100% sure of the ins and out but currently out local high school is only open for two years. However, the rest of the school is off for a number of reasons. A few cases where children have to isolate. Others who have been told to stay off and not isolate, and groups who are also off due to staffing issues.

No, she doesn’t have to isolate for 14 days unless she has been in close contact with the infected individual for an extended period.

If it's primary school, the whole class are considered close contacts as they have been in the same room all day and there is no expectation of social distancing in the primary classroom.

A letter from the school does not have the same legal authority as contact from track and so is guidance only. It is deliberately done this way so that parents can still work and other children in the family can go to school. They may have sent a holding letter until PHE are called in to advise or they may be dealing with it themselves depending on the complexity of the case and whether it is the first one in the school. Once you know more about the nature of the contact it will be easier to decide what, if any, precautions you should take.

Needcoffeecoffeecoffee

I presume the school has sent out a preemptive letter until they get specific details from PHE tomorrow then you should get further information.

Yes. This. They are sent home and the PHE (or devolved versions) give advice about last contact and how long to isolate for. Sometimes the isolation is stopped.

The wording in that letter is a bit ambiguous.

It could be interpreted either as all the pupils have to self-isolate; or they are doing home learning because of staffing issues and pupil self-isolation isn’t required.

I think, to be on the safe side, I’d be treating it as an instruction to self-isolate DD until I’d managed to speak to someone at the school who could clearly spell out whether or not she’s supposed to be self-isolating.

I agree OP that the letter is unclear. Your DD is not expected in school and I would hope this is a holding letter and the school will clarify the position regarding isolation soon.
I think I would assume she should isolate, which will mean she doesn't leave the house and you don't have visitors.