Coronavirus (COVID-19)
5th March 2020
Dear Parents and Carers,
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Statement
At Tynemouth Nursery Group and Zone4kids we prioritise safety for all our staff and children and we are therefore committed to reducing the risk of Covid-19 to everyone. We are following all of the government guidelines on managing the risk from Covid-19 and have implemented internal procedures to help us react quickly in the event of a direct link to any of our settings to effectively manage the situation.
A coronavirus is a type of virus and coronaviruses are common across the world. COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan City, China in January 2020. The incubation period of COVID-19 is between 2 and 14 days. This means that if a person remains well 14 days after contact with someone with confirmed coronavirus, it is unlikely that they have been infected.
The following symptoms may develop in the 14 days after exposure to someone who has COVID-19 infection:
- Cough
- Difficulty in breathing
- Fever, high temperature
Generally, these infections can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease. There is no evidence that children are more affected than other age groups – very few cases have been reported in children.
With this in mind, and to minimise the risk to children in our care we are asking staff and families that have travelled to affected areas, not to attend nursery until they have completed a 14-day period of self-isolation in the UK after they return from their travels. We will continue to monitor and review this strategy once we are confident that the risk has been reduced or government guidelines change.
We are also reducing the risk by ensuring effective hygiene practices are in place for both children and staff as advised by Public Health England by ensuring staff and children:
- Wash hands frequently with soap, especially before eating or handling food, after toilet visits, or when hands are contaminated by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing.
- Cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when sneezing or coughing, and to discard the tissue immediately into a bin.
- Do not share food/ drinks/ utensils etc with others.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces e.g. toys, tables and chairs, etc.
- Ensure supplies such as hand soap, tissues, and paper towels are available for children and staff’s use.
We remain vigilant in ensuring regular and effective cleaning is carried out and we will continue to monitor the health of children in our care and will react quickly in the event of any rise in temperature or changes in behavior.
If you have any questions, please speak to a senior member of staff or you can find further information at the below links.
With kindest regards
Michelle Gascoigne
Area Manager
