LATEST COVID-19 POLICY

1. Information about Covid-19
2. Who is at risk?
3. How Covid-19 is spread
4. Guidance on dealing with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19
5. Guidance on cleaning after a case of COVID-19 (confirmed or suspected)

1. Information about the virus

Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. The virus was first identified in Wuhan City, China in January 2020.

Most people infected will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. The symptoms are:

• New persistent cough
• Temperature above 37.8
• Loss of taste

This policy and associated risk assessment is to limit the spread of infection within the setting.

2. Who is at risk?

All patrons of the setting are at risk including: staff, children, parents/carers of the children attending, any other individuals involved In the day to day operation of the setting.

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.

3. How COVID-19 is spread

From what we have learnt about the virus, COVID-19 is most likely to happen when there is close contact (within 2 meters) with an infected person.

Droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes (respiratory secretions) containing the virus are most likely to be the main mean of transmission.

There are 2 routes by which people could become infected:

Secretions can be directly transferred into mouths or noses of people who are in close contact with an infected person, and 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.
Preventing the spread of infection

The general principles to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 are:

Thorough hand washing procedures, soap and water for at least 20 seconds
All staff and children will be required to wash their hands immediately upon arrival at the nursery and before leaving. Paper towels will be available to dry hands and be disposed of easily
After visiting the toilet
After coughing or sneezing
Before food preparation
Before leaving the nursery
Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, disposing of the tissue and washing hands “catch it, bin it, kill it” Anyone showing symptoms should self isolate for 7 days
Avoid touching eyes, noses and mouth
Using an alcohol based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available

Cleaning
Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of objects and surfaces that are touches regularly particularly in areas of high use such as door handles, light switches, furniture and toys. The areas will be cleaned regularly using appropriate cleaning products and methods. Rigorous checks will be carried out by managers to ensure that the procedures are being fully adhered to at all times.

Social Distancing
The recommended distance for safe distancing is 2m, however this is extremely difficult to maintain in a setting such as a nursery.
The following changed will be made to the running of each session:

• Parents will be asked to practise safe distancing of 2m whilst waiting to drop off and collect their children.
• Lunch times and snack times will be staggered to keep to group sizes small.
• We will implement “bubbles” where the same staff members and children will stay together for the whole day.
• Outdoor play will be encouraged as much as possible.

4. Guidance on dealing with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 within the setting

In the event of a child developing suspected coronavirus symptoms whilst attending the setting, they will be collected as soon as possible and isolated at home in line with the NHS guidance.

Whilst waiting for the child to be collected they will be moved, if possible to a room where they can be isolated behind a closed door (with appropriate adult supervision) if this is not possible, the child will need to be moved to an area which is at least 2 meters away from the rest of the setting. A window will opened for ventilation.

If the child needs to use the toilet in the time they are waiting to be collected they will use a separate bathroom, if possible. The bathroom will be cleaned and disinfected before used by anyone else.

The staff member responsible for the child during this time will be a staff member from their ‘bubble’. The staff member will wear appropriate PPE including a face mask while waiting with the child.

In an emergency, the manager/supervisor is to call 999 if the child becomes seriously ill or injured. The person responsible for cleaning the area will wear appropriate PPE.

The member of staff who has been in contact with the child displaying symptoms does not need to go home unless they develop symptoms themselves. The member of staff will adhere to strict hand washing routines as usual (20 seconds)

In the event of a staff member developing suspected coronavirus symptoms whilst working at the nursery, they will return home immediately and isolate at home in line with the NHS guidance. Staff members will be able to be tested for Covid-19 if displaying symptoms.

5. Guidance on cleaning the setting after a case of COVID-19

Coronavirus symptoms are similar to flu-like illness such as cough, fever, shortness of breath etc. once symptomatic, all surfaces that the suspected case has come into contact with must be cleaned using disposable cloths and household detergents, according to the current recommend workplace legislation and practise.

These include:

All surfaces and objects which are visibly contaminated with bodily fluids

All potentially contaminated high-contact areas such as toilets, door handles and telephones

All waste that has been in contact with the individual, including used tissues, masks, aprons etc should be put in a separate plastic bag and tied and disposed of.

Lateral flow testing
the use of rapid lateral flow antigen tests allows nurseries to identify asymptomatic cases that would otherwise go undetected. All staff at Tiny Tots day nursery carry out COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests twice a week. All results are recorded by the nursery manager.

Nursery show-rounds
All show arounds are out of nursery hours and only one parent is permitted to attend and a face mask is to be worn by both the parent and the staff member conducting the show around.