Dear Parent/Carer

I hope this letter finds you and your family safe and well. You may have seen in the news recently that Staffordshire will be increasing the testing of residents in a bid to identify more cases of Covid-19 and reduce the spread of infection.

 We are in one of several local authorities to sign up for early roll out of new rapid turnaround tests. The local authority is also expanding their advice around when to go for a test.

 Currently anyone must self-isolate immediately and book a test if they have one of the main symptoms of:

• persistent cough,
• high temperature,
• new cough or
• loss of taste or smell

 However, with many people displaying other symptoms, the local authority are asking residents in Staffordshire to consider getting tested as a precaution if they have other symptoms such as:

• Headaches
• Aches and pains
• Feeling very tired for no good reason
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Sometimes ‘tummy ache’ in children

 People with any of these symptoms can carry on going to school or work if they are well enough to do so and only need to self-isolate if the test comes back positive.

The national testing centres across the county have good availability and can be booked through the NHS website. People booking a test through this website need to check the ‘My council have asked me to get a test’ option.

The local authority also have community testing sites that change on a weekly basis. People can view if there are any sites set up near them by visiting the testing website.

May I thank you all for your continued support.

Best wishes

Linda James

Headteacher