What are the school COVID rules October 2023?

What are the latest school COVID rules?

COVID-19 presents a low risk to children, and being able to attend school is important for their wellbeing and academic performance. As a result, there are no longer specific rules in place to stop your child going to school or college.

Instead, you're encouraged to treat your child's respiratory symptoms the same way you would before the COVID-19 pandemic - like the common cold or flu, which have very similar symptoms to COVID-19 and pose the same low-level threat to children.

Here's a summary of the latest government guidance for school COVID rules¹:

1. If your child has COVID-like symptoms - don't test for COVID-19, unless told to by a health professional.

2. If their symptoms are mild - for example, your child has a sore throat, runny nose, or slight cough but are otherwise feeling well, they can attend school.

3. If they have a temperature - if your child has a high temperature and feels unwell, they should stay at home and avoid contact with other people where possible. They can go back to school when they no longer have a high temperature and feel well enough. 

4. If you take a test and they test positive for COVID-19, the guidance is to try to stay at home and try to avoid other people for 3 days if they are under 18 years old - or 5 days if they are 18 or over.

Why is COVID-19 being dealt with the same as flu or a cold?

COVID-19 is a respiratory infection like the common cold and flu. In March 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that COVID-19 was reaching a point where it can be treated the same way as seasonal flu - as a virus that is a threat to some people, but one that for most will only cause temporary symptoms, and will continue to evolve each year without causing more severe disease².

As evidence for this, UK hospitalisations from COVID-19 have remained low throughout 2023 - despite new COVID-19 variants and new symptoms of the Pirola strain.

This is largely due to the high rates of COVID-19 vaccination which are helping to protect society's most vulnerable. As we have seen with all common viruses that circulate in the colder months, children continue to be the most resilient to COVID-19 in the general population.

We also can't underestimate the importance of keeping our children in school. Time in school helps students stay safe, develop social skills, and reach their potential. High attendance is directly linked to how well your child does in their GCSE and A Levels³.

Patient picks for COVID-19

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How are universities supporting students during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Unsurprisingly, the pandemic has had an enormous impact on students. COVID-19 has meant students have been forced to isolate themselves and do their learning online, usually while paying extremely high university and accommodation fees.

by Lydia Smith

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Long COVID

Most people with COVID-19 infection (SARS CoV-2 infection) feel better within a few days or weeks and recover completely within 12 weeks of the infection. However, some people have ongoing symptoms that remain for weeks, months, or longer, which is usually called "long COVID". For some, these long-term effects of COVID-19 can be debilitating. These effects can be very different from person to person, and it seems likely that there are different 'types' of long COVID, or different syndromes, which might behave in different ways.

by Dr Doug McKechnie, MRCGP

Further reading

1. GOV.UK: What are the latest rules around COVID-19 in schools, colleges, nurseries and other education settings?

2. WHO: Virtual press conference on COVID-19 & other global health emergencies.

3. GOV.UK: The link between absence and attainment at KS2 and KS4.