COVID-19

From Monday 23rd March 2020, Miriam Lord Primary School is closed until further notice. All pupils who can be cared for at home, must stay at home. We will be running a skeleton staff in school during the period of closure to provide care for pupils who require it. If you are a key worker and have no other means of childcare, you should contact school at slt@miriamlord.bradford.sch.uk. 

Latest advice

The latest advice applies to people who have recently travelled to one of the countries where coronavirus outbreaks have occurred.  Visit the following link for up to date information and advice for travellers returning from affected countries: 

www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

Information about the coronavirus

A coronavirus is a type of virus. As a group, 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 to 14 days. This means that if a person remains well 14 days after contact with someone with confirmed coronavirus, they have not been infected.

The following symptoms may develop in the 14 days after exposure to someone who has COVID-19 infection:

• a persistent cough
• difficulty in breathing
• fever (above 37.8 degrees )
• flu-like symptoms

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.

How the coronavirus is spread

The latest information suggests that coronavirus is most likely to spread when there is close contact (within 2 metres) with an infected person. There are two routes by which people could become infected:

• secretions can be directly transferred into the mouths or noses of people who are nearby (within 2 metres) or could be inhaled into the lungs.
• it is also possible that someone may become infected by touching a surface or object that has been contaminated with respiratory secretions and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes (such as touching a door knob or shaking hands then touching own face).

There is currently no good evidence that people who do not have symptoms are infectious to others.

Preventing the spread of infection

There are simple steps that you can take to protect yourself, your family and others:

• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub available to buy in most supermarkets and community pharmacies.
• ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’. Catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue ensuring the nose and mouth are fully covered to prevent any spray escaping. Dispose of the tissue as soon as possible in the bin and wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand rub to kill any germs.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home and work environment.