Coronavirus (COVID-19)

People who are at higher risk from coronavirus and other respiratory infections include:

• older people
• those who are pregnant
• those who are unvaccinated
• people of any age whose immune system means they're at higher risk of serious illness
• people of any age with certain long-term conditions

Read guidance for people who have been informed by the NHS that they're at highest risk

The risk of becoming seriously unwell from coronavirus and other respiratory infections is very low for most children and young people.

Some children aged under 2 years, especially those with a heart condition or born prematurely, are at increased risk of hospitalisation from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have symptoms of a respiratory infection such as coronavirus and have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities.

Do this until you no longer have a high temperature (if you had one) or until you feel better.

Work from home if you can. If you can't work from home, talk to your employer about your options.

Avoid close contact with anyone who is at higher risk, especially individuals with a weakened immune system.

If you've been asked to attend a medical or dental appointment in person, tell them about your symptoms.

You may wish to ask friends, family or neighbours to get food and other essentials for you.

You should tell people you have recently been in contact with that you're feeling unwell. This means they can be aware of signs or symptoms.

Respiratory infections are common in children and young people, particularly during the winter months. Symptoms can be caused by several respiratory infections including the common cold, coronavirus and RSV.

For most children and young people, these illnesses will not be serious. They'll soon recover following rest and plenty of fluids.

Very few children and young people with respiratory infections become seriously unwell. This is also true for children and young people with long-term conditions. Some children under 2, especially those born prematurely or with a heart condition, can become more seriously unwell from RSV.

When to stay at home

Children and young people with mild symptoms who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education setting. Mild symptoms include a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough.

Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where they can. They can go back to school, college or childcare, and resume normal activities when they no longer have a high temperature and they're well enough to attend.

All children and young people with respiratory symptoms should be encouraged to cover their mouth and nose with a disposable tissue when coughing and/or sneezing. They should wash their hands after using or disposing of tissues.

If you're worried about your child, especially if they're under 2 years, seek medical help.

If you leave your home while you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, and you have a high temperature or feel unwell, avoid close contact with anyone who is at higher risk, especially individuals with a weakened immune system.

You can reduce the chance of passing on your infection by:

• wearing a well-fitting face covering made with multiple layers or a surgical face mask
• avoiding crowded places such as public transport, large social gatherings, or anywhere that is enclosed or poorly ventilated
• exercising outdoors in places where you will not have close contact with other people
• covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
• washing your hands regularly with soap and water for 20 seconds or using hand sanitiser after coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, and before you eat or handle food
• avoiding touching your face

While you're unwell there's a high risk of passing your infection to others in your household. There are things you can do to help prevent the spread:

• keep your distance from people you live with
• in shared areas wear a well-fitting face covering made with multiple layers or a surgical face mask, especially if you live with someone with a weakened immune system
• ventilate rooms you have been in by opening windows and leaving them open for at least 10 minutes after you have left the room
• wash your hands regularly and cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
• regularly clean frequently touched surfaces, such as door handles and remote controls, and shared areas such as kitchens and bathrooms

Tell anyone that does need to come into your home that you have symptoms so they can protect themselves. For example, by wearing a well-fitting face covering or a surgical face mask, keeping their distance if they can, and washing their hands regularly.

If you have a positive coronavirus test result, it's very likely that you have coronavirus even if you do not have symptoms. This means you can pass on the infection.

Many people with coronavirus will no longer be infectious after 5 days. If you have a positive coronavirus test result, stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days after the day you took your test, or from the day your symptoms started (whichever was earlier).

The start date for counting days after a positive test has changed. If you test positive you should now count the day after you took the test as day 1 of the days you should stay at home.

You should let everyone in your household know about your positive coronavirus test result. Coronavirus is infectious for up to 2 days before you begin to feel unwell, or the date of your test, so you should tell anyone you had close contact with during this time. This means they can be aware of signs or symptoms.

Work from home if you can. If you can't work from home, talk to your employer about your options.

If you've been asked to attend a medical or dental appointment in person, let them know about your positive test result.

You may wish to ask friends, family or neighbours to get food and other essentials for you.

Follow this advice until you feel well enough to resume normal activities and you no longer have a high temperature (if you had one).

Although many people will no longer be infectious to others after 5 days, some people may be infectious to other people for up to 10 days from the start of their infection.

You should avoid meeting with anyone who's at higher risk, especially individuals with a weakened immune system, for 10 days after the day you took your test.

It's not recommended that children and young people are tested for coronavirus unless advised to by a healthcare professional.

If a child or young person has a positive coronavirus test result, they should stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day they took the test or from the day their symptoms started (whichever was earliest), if they can.

After 3 days, if they feel well and do not have a high temperature, the risk of passing the infection on to others is much lower. This is because children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults.

Children and young people who usually go to school, college or childcare and who live with someone who has a positive coronavirus test result should continue to attend as normal.

If you leave your home during the 5 days after your positive test result, you can reduce the chance of passing on your infection by:

• wearing a well-fitting face covering made with multiple layers or a surgical face mask
• avoiding crowded places such as public transport, large social gatherings, or anywhere that is enclosed or poorly ventilated
• exercising outdoors in places where you will not have close contact with other people
• covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
• washing your hands regularly with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser after coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, and before you eat or handle food
• avoiding touching your face

While you're infectious there's a high risk of passing your infection to others in your household. There are things you can do to help prevent the spread:

• keep your distance from people you live with
• in shared areas wear a well-fitting face covering made with multiple layers or a surgical face mask, especially if you live with someone with a weakened immune system
• ventilate rooms you have been in by opening windows and leaving them open for at least 10 minutes after you have left the room
• wash your hands regularly and cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
• regularly clean frequently touched surfaces, like door handles and remote controls, and shared areas such as kitchens and bathrooms

Tell anyone that does need to come into your home that you've tested positive so they can protect themselves. For example, by wearing a well-fitting face covering or a surgical face mask, keeping their distance if they can, and washing their hands regularly.

You can reduce the risk to other people by:

• avoiding contact with anyone you know who is at higher risk, especially individuals with a weakened immune system
• limiting close contact with other people outside your household, especially in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces
• wearing a well-fitting face covering made with multiple layers or a surgical face mask if you do need to have close contact with other people, or you're in a crowded place
• washing your hands regularly with soap and water or using hand sanitiser