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Schools: Coronavirus

Question for Department for Education

UIN HL5605, tabled on 11 June 2020

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to require that children's temperatures be monitored during the school day.

Answered on

25 June 2020

The government’s current plans do not require that children’s temperatures be monitored during the school day. This is not a reliable method for identifying COVID-19.

The department has published comprehensive guidance to schools and nurseries on the protective measures that should be implemented to substantially reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19. This can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings.

The guidance advises that if anyone in an education or childcare setting develops a new, continuous cough, a high temperature, or has a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste of smell (anosmia), they must be sent home to self-isolate for at least 7 days and should arrange to have a test.