Coronavirus

We have received an updated communication from West Berkshire Wellbeing, Public Health and Education, which sets out our requirements after half term for our students, based on their recommendations. 

We appreciate everything that your family is doing to protect each other and the College community, and we thank you for that.  

The area is currently experiencing a large increase in COVID-19 cases across schools in the West Berkshire area and we wanted to share with you some information on how you can protect yourself and your family throughout half term and when we return in November.  

We are asking you again to take care in the way you meet, mix and share space with friends and family. With the darker evenings and colder temperatures, activities and gatherings are likely to be indoors where it’s easier for winter infections to spread. We would therefore ask you to undertake the following over half-term to minimise transmission both over the holiday period and upon return to school: 

• Continue to undertake twice-weekly asymptomatic Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing for all household/family members age 11 and over.
• Book a PCR test for you or your child if you are concerned that either you might have Covid-19 or have had contact with someone with Covid-19. If you don't meet any of the criteria for seeking a PCR test, please tick the box 'I've been told to get a test by my local council, health protection team or healthcare professional.' 
• Any student who has a household member test positive for Covid-19 to take a daily LFD test for seven days, in addition to taking a one-off PCR test. 
• Any student who is identified as a close contact of a positive case via NHS Test and Trace are advised to take a daily LFD test for seven days, in addition to taking a one-off PCR test.  
• Students should undertake a lateral flow test on the day before they return to school.  

We also ask you to continue to keep in mind these key elements in the ways to keep safe; 

• Hands – wash with water and soap or use hand sanitiser regularly.
• Face - please try to wear a face-covering when in enclosed spaces or large groups of people.
• Space – allow as much space and distance between you and others and try to avoid crowds.
• Fresh air - meet friends outdoors or in well-ventilated areas as much as possible will help keep everyone safe.
  
  

It is likely that cases will remain high after the half-term break, and we will be working with West Berkshire over the coming week to review whether any additional measures will be needed as we return in November. This could mean increasing how often pupils undertake lateral flow testing.  

We will continue to ask students and staff to wear masks in communal areas. In addition, in line with West Berkshire authorities, we will also be asking students to wear face masks in the classrooms. Anyone unable to wear a mask due to health reasons will be offered a faceguard, as always individual circumstances will be taken into account when making this decision. 

Thank you again for your support through this challenging time, and we hope you enjoy spending time together with your families over the next week. 

Over the past month, some PCR tests completed at the Newbury Showground testing site, operated by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), have had results sent out that may have incorrectly shown as negative for Covid-19. 

After receiving reports from local residents in recent weeks that there were concerns about the accuracy of test results from the site, West Berkshire Council passed these concerns onto the UKHSA for further investigation. The UKSHA has now confirmed that a number of sites nationally may have been affected by this issue, including the one at Newbury Showground.

If you took a PCR test between 03 - 12 October which was negative, we strongly recommend a retest for you and for any close contacts. It is important to take a PCR test as without it; the local authority cannot complete contact tracing and offer support to the people who need it. For further information on booking a PCR please visit https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

If you will lose income by completing the self-isolation process or staying at home looking after a child who is self-isolating, you can apply for a support payment by visiting: https://www.westberks.gov.uk/article/37510/Apply-for-a-Test-and-Trace-Support-Payment.

If you are concerned about how this might affect you or your family, please get in touch with West Berkshire Council on 01635 503579.

We know that children and young people have been hugely affected by the pandemic, both in terms of their education and their ability to socialise and participate in activities that benefit them outside of formal education.

We want to thank you as parents and guardians of secondary school and college students for your support over the last eighteen months. We know this time has been difficult for many of you, as well as for the young people you care for.

As students return to the classroom, we would ask for your continued support to make sure your children are able to stay in face-to-face learning, by encouraging them to:

• test themselves for COVID-19 twice a week, and more frequently if they are specifically asked to do so. This way, we can find individuals who have the virus but are not showing symptoms, and stop them from passing it on to others.
• come forward for the COVID-19 vaccine. This is one of the best things young people can do to protect themselves and those around them.

We know that students have missed a lot of time in school and college since the pandemic started, and that there is no substitute for face-to-face learning. Keeping students in the classroom in the coming months is therefore a Government priority, both for their immediate and longer-term wellbeing.

We know that some of you will be concerned about the health risks to the young people you care for. We want to reassure you that the evidence shows that young people remain at very low risk of serious illness from COVID-19.

However, we need to continue to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Young people who get ill will need to miss school or college, and may spread it to others. That is why we are encouraging you all to support your children to get vaccinated and to continue to test regularly. This will help to detect cases early, reduce spread, and keep students in education.

Vaccination

Vaccines are our best defence against COVID-19. They help protect young people, and benefit those around them. Vaccination makes people less likely to catch the virus and less likely to pass it on.

The COVID-19 vaccination programme for children aged 12-15 years has now started. Thousands of young people across the country have already taken the opportunity to receive their vaccine. If your child is 12-15 years old, a consent form and information leaflet from the NHS will be sent home allowing you to provide consent for your child to receive their vaccination at school

We remind you that 16- and 17-year-olds can book their vaccination through the National Booking Service or find a convenient walk-in site. Please do help your 16- and 17-year-olds to book a vaccination for yourself if you have not done so already, or if you have missed a second dose.

Testing

We ask that you support and encourage your children to test twice a week at home, every week, with Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests. This will help us reduce the transmission of COVID-19 among our children. Please report and upload test results online, even if they are negative or void, as this allows us to understand the virus and take additional action when needed.

In addition to regular twice weekly testing:

• Children who receive a positive LFD result should isolate and book a PCR test to confirm their result.
• Children who are identified as a close contact by NHS Test and Trace should take a PCR test and continue to go to school while they wait for their result.
• In response to potential outbreaks, your school, college or local health team may advise additional testing. For example, if your child is identified as a close contact, they may be asked to take daily LFDs, while they wait for their PCR result. In this scenario, they should continue to attend school as long as their LFD results remain negative.

Additionally, please encourage your child to follow guidance on wearing face coverings in crowded spaces with people they don't know well, for example on school transport.

We know that many of you will have questions or concerns about this, and we understand that. The NHS website (www.nhs.uk) is an excellent source of advice, which we hope will be able to answer many of your questions about testing or vaccination. If not, you can call the 119 service who should be able to help with questions on testing. When you get a vaccination consent form for your child, it will include details of how you can ask further questions of your local teams.

Thank you again for your support.

Here are some frequently answered questions for parents, from Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency

Why do young people aged 12 to 15 years need to get the vaccine?

Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection is typically mild in most young people, but it can be very unpleasant for some and one dose of the vaccine will provide good protection against severe illness and hospitalisation.

Vaccinating 12 to 15 year olds also helps reduce the need for young people to have time off school and reduces the risk of spread of COVID-19 within schools. The vaccine will protect young people from COVID-19 and reduce disruption to education, which is good for their welfare and mental health.

Why did the JCVI say young people didn’t need the vaccine?

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) looked at the direct health benefits of vaccines, and in the case of 12 to 15 year olds, they said that there was only a small advantage for young people in getting a dose of the vaccine.

The Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) took into account the extra health benefits from avoiding children missing education and concluded that there were public health grounds to recommend vaccinating 12 to 15 year olds. The UK CMOs' advice sets out their reasoning here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-vaccination-of-children-and-young-people-aged-12-to-15-years-against-covid-19

My child has already had COVID-19 - should they still get the vaccine?

Yes, they should be vaccinated regardless of whether they have already had a COVID-19 infection because:

• research has not yet shown how long people who have had COVID-19 are protected from getting it again after they recover
• vaccination helps to boost your protection, even if you’ve already had COVID-19

Has the vaccine been given to 12 to 15 year olds in other countries?

Trials in thousands of children have shown that the vaccine works very well in this age group. The vaccine has since been given to millions of 12 to 15 year olds in a number of countries, including 8 million in the United States. Data from these countries show that the vaccine has a good safety record.

Key questions on the children and young people’s COVID-19 vaccination programme (continued)

Does the COVID-19 vaccine cause heart problems in young people?

Worldwide, there have been very rare cases of inflammation of the heart called myocarditis or pericarditis reported after COVID-19 vaccines. Most of these young people felt better following rest and simple treatments. These cases have been seen mostly in younger males and mainly occurred within a few days of the second dose; it is extremely rare after the first dose of the vaccine.

Is the vaccine safe for children with allergies or other medical conditions?

There are very few children or young people who cannot receive the vaccine. If in doubt, young people and their parents or carers should check with the school immunisation team or consult their GP or specialist clinician.

I have seen fake stories on social media about the vaccine

You may have come across false or misleading information about the virus or the vaccine. It is important that you get your information from trusted sources such as:

The children’s programme information

The parents' guide is on the link below with the guidance for schools: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-resources-for-schools

Here is the leaflet for the children and parents: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-resources-for-children-and-young-people

Further information can be found here: www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccine-children.

How to take the test?

All staff and students should undertake two weekly Lateral Flow (LFD) tests at home and report the results to nhs.uk and the college, even during holidays.

What should you do after the test? 

Anyone with a positive test result will need to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and:

• self-isolate in line with the stay at home guidance
• book a further test (a lab-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test) to confirm the result, whether the test was done at home, school or college

Whilst awaiting the PCR result, the individual should continue to self-isolate. Don't forget to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the result of your PCR.

If the PCR test is taken within the 2 days following the positive LFD result, and is negative, it overrides the self-test LFD test and your child can return to nursery, childminders, school or college, as long as they don’t have COVID-19 symptoms.

If you are fully vaccinated or aged under 18 years and 6 months, you will not be required to self-isolate if you live in the same household as someone with COVID-19. Please refer to Stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection for more information.

Negative and void results should be reported to both NHS Test & Trace and the college. 

If the result of the test is unclear (void) you should do another test. 

Do I need to give consent? 

Students and parents do not need to give written consent to take part in the home testing programme.  

Once you open the kit you should take and report the results of the tests to NHS Test & Trace and your tutor at the College, regardless of the result (positive, negative, or void).

Reporting problems or issues with testing  

If there is an issue with the test kit, for example something is missing, please report it by calling 119 and please also tell the College. 

If an accident or injury happens whilst using the test kit, please seek medical care by calling 111 (or 999 if it is an emergency). Please also report what happened using this website: https://coronavirus-yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/  

What type of tests will be used? 

We will be sending home Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests. They are a fast and simple way to test people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19, but who may still be spreading the virus.  

The tests are easy to use and give results in 30 minutes.  

Further information: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/understanding-lateral-flow-antigen-testing-for-people-without-symptoms  

Are LFD tests accurate? 

Lateral Flow Devices identify people who are likely to be infectious. These individuals tend to spread the virus to many people and so identifying them through this test is important.  

These tests have been widely and successfully used to detect COVID-19 in asymptomatic individuals and are approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The speed and convenience of the tests supports the detection of the virus in asymptomatic individuals, who would not otherwise have got tested. 

The tests are highly specific, with low chance of false positives. They are also very sensitive and are able to identify the majority of the most infectious yet asymptomatic individuals. Extensive evaluation has been carried out on the tests and it shows that they are both accurate and sensitive enough to be used in the community for screening and surveillance purposes.  

It is important to remember that these tests are only an aid to help stop the spread of the virus and you should continue to follow other guidance such as on wearing face coverings and social distancing.  

How are LFD tests different to PCR tests? 

There are 2 main types of test to check if you have coronavirus: 

• polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests check for the genetic material (RNA) of the virus in the sample - you send the sample for processing at a lab; and
• lateral flow device (LFD) tests detect proteins called ‘antigens’ produced by the virus - they give rapid results within 30 minutes. 

What does it mean if I have a negative result?

A negative result does not guarantee that you are not carrying the virus. So, you should continue to follow measures to reduce transmission such as regularly washing your hands.

What if I have a void result?

If the result of the test is unclear (void), you should take another one. If the next test is also void, you should take a PCR test. You can book a test here.

All test results need to be reported to both NHS Test & Trace and college

Do I need to send the test to a lab?

No. The LFDs supplied do not need to be sent to a laboratory to get a result and can give a quick result in around 30 minutes. Guidance on self-testing is contained in the ‘Instructions for Use’ leaflet, which comes with the test kit. There is also a useful video to show you how to administer the test. 

How do you report the result?

Once you have taken the test, you will need to report the result online (whether it is positive, negative or void) using this service. You also need to tell the school the test result. You will receive a text or email from NHS Test & Trace confirming that you have reported your test result. 

All test results need to be reported to both NHS Test & Trace and College. 

Can someone else in my household use a test kit sent home from school? 

No, however your household members can test themselves twice every week from home. This testing can be accessed through the following channels: 

• get a rapid test at work, through workplace testing. Ask your employer for more information.
• attend a test site to get tested where you will be able to see how to take the test or pick up tests to do at home (you can find your nearest test site via the postcode checker www.gov.uk/find-covid-19-lateral-flow-test-site or check your local council website).
• collect tests to do at home. Find your nearest collection site COVID Test Finder (test-and-trace.nhs.uk).

If these options are not possible, there will be a supply of rapid tests for order online for people who need them the most. More information can be found on www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests 

How will personal information and test results be shared?

To report your result, you will need to share some information about yourself, so that your test result can be traced.

You need to tell NHS Test & Trace:

• your name
• your test result
• the reference number on the test kit

You will also need to tell your school or college your test result. 

Under UK law, your school or college collect and store test result data because it is in the ‘public interest’.

Schools and colleges will only share information with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) if the test kits used are found to be faulty. If this happens, DHSC will use our information to contact people who used the faulty tests, so that they can be tested again. 

When you report test results online, you are sharing information with DHSC. They will share it with your GP, local government, NHS, and Public Health England. This is so that they can offer you health services and guidance if you need to self-isolate. They might also use your data anonymously (without your name or contact information) to research COVID-19, and improve our understanding of the virus.