Covid Update 27th Jan 2022

With the new Covid variant, omicron and its increased transmissibility, it is more important than ever to get vaccinations and boosters, wear a high- quality face mask, including in classrooms (unless medically exempt); keep your hands clean and give other people space.

We want to keep all learners and staff safe and will be keeping our current Covid safety procedures in place at our Brook Street site. This means that social distancing and the one-way, keep-left system at entrances, exits, in communal areas and on stairs will remain in place and applies to staff, learners, supported people and visitors. Lifts and toilets will remain single use with one person at a time using them.

We will also be following our enhanced cleaning regime for all communal areas including classrooms, offices and shared equipment as well as frequent touch points and toilets. Hand sanitiser stations will continue to be positioned at entrances and exits and throughout the building. Please use them.

Effective ventilation is also crucial to prevent the virus from spreading and infecting people and we will be keeping windows and doors open (unless fire doors) whilst attempting to ensure that people remain at a comfortable temperature but it is always a good idea to make sure you are warmly-dressed when you come into college.

From 27 January 2022, City College expects everyone to continue to wear a face mask or covering in communal areas such as corridors, toilets and in classrooms, unless they are medically exempt. DfE Covid guidance.

B. The three main symptoms are:

· A high temperature (fever) above 37.5

· A new continuous cough

· Losing your sense of taste or smell or things taste or smell different

If you have one or more of the symptoms on this list, it could be a sign that you have Covid.

You should be aware, however, that some people, especially if they have been vaccinated, may not have these symptoms and Omicron seems to sometimes cause different symptoms from the Delta variant. Many people are reporting symptoms such as a sore throat /sneezing /a runny nose / feeling very tired.

Don’t assume these symptoms mean you just have a cold. If you’re not sure, take a rapid lateral flow test or PCR test and don’t come until the college until you have a negative result.

C. Rapid Lateral Flow Test (RLFT)

If you’re coming into college, you should take a rapid lateral flow test twice a week to avoid spreading the virus because even if you feel fine and have no symptoms, you could have Covid and could spread it to others. If your test result is negative, you can continue to attend college.

Of course, if you test positive on the lateral flow test, you must self-isolate, stay at home and book a PCR test (see above). If the PCR test is taken within 2 days of the positive lateral flow test and is negative, it overrides the lateral flow test result and if you feel well and have no symptoms of Covid. Please ring the college to speak to a manager about coming back to your course. To order free lateral flow tests to use at home, click here. https://www.gov.uk/order-coron...

You must report your lateral flow test result whether it is positive or negative. To report your lateral flow test result, click here. https://www.gov.uk/report-covi...

D.PCR Tests

1 Taking a free PCR Test

2. How long must I self-isolate for if I have Covid?

The self-isolation advice for people with coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed. It is now possible to end self-isolation after 5 full days if you have no symptoms of Covid and 2 negative Lateral Flow tests (LFD) taken on consecutive days.

The first LFD test should not be taken before the fifth day after your symptoms started (or the day your test was taken if you did not have symptoms). The self-isolation period remains 10 full days for those who don’t get a negative result on 2 LFD tests taken a day apart.

If you end your self-isolation period before 10 full days you should:

• to limit close contact with other people outside your household, especially in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces

• to work from home if you are able to

• in addition to venues where it is a legal requirement, to wear a face covering in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces and where you are in close contact with other people

• to limit contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with COVID-19

• to follow the guidance on how to stay safe and help prevent the spread of COVID-1

• you have taken part in or are currently part of an approved COVID-19 vaccine trial

• you are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons

F. Close contacts of someone who has had a positive Covid test

The infectious period is any time from 2 days before any one of the symptoms start and up to 10 days after. If the person who tested positive does not have symptoms, their close contacts are counted from 2 days before the date of their positive test and up to 10 days after.

Adults who are fully vaccinated

If you're an adult and a close contact and you don’t have any symptoms and you are fully vaccinated, you can take daily Lateral Flow (LFD) tests instead of self-isolating.

Fully vaccinated means you've received at least 2 doses of an approved vaccine at least 14 days before you last saw the person who tested positive.

If you live with the person who tested positive, the 14 days is counted from the day their symptoms started, or 14 days before they tested positive if they don't have symptoms.

The daily LFD tests should be taken for 7 days in a row or until the end of your 10 day self-isolation period, whichever is soonest.

Even if you do not have symptoms, you should take a daily rapid lateral flow test (1 a day for 7 days), if you’re fully vaccinated, to protect yourself and others.

Also follow advice on how to avoid catching and spreading COVID-19

• to limit close contact with other people outside your household, especially in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces

• to work from home if you are able to

• in addition to venues where it is a legal requirement, to wear a face covering in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces and where you are in close contact with other people

• to limit contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with COVID-19

• to follow the guidance on how to stay safe and help prevent the spread of COVID-1

As a close contact, if you develop the main symptoms of Covid, you should immediately self-isolate and book a PCR test. If this is negative, continue to take daily LFD tests for 7 days or the duration of your self-isolation period which ever is soonest. If this is positive, then you need to self-isolate for 10 days from when your symptoms started. You may be able to end self-isolation early

If any of your LFD tests are positive, you should self-isolate for 10 days from the date of your positive test result. You do not need to book a follow-up PCR test to confirm your positive LFD result.

If you cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, you should follow the guidance for close contacts who are fully vaccinated.

Adults who are not fully vaccinated

You must self-isolate for 10 days and book a PCR test. Even if your test result is negative, you should complete the 10-day self-isolation.

If you live with someone who has symptoms of Covid or tests positive for Covid, you should follow the guidance for close contacts as soon as they test positive. Stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed COVID-19. https://www.gov.uk/government/...

If you have had contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 but do not currently live in the same household as them, click below for the guidance. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person).