Health chiefs warn of surge in norovirus and flu and outline four key steps to avoid them

The UK Health Security Agency has issued advice to parents warning of an expected spike in sickness and flu bugs as kids go back to school after half term break

School children returning to the classrooms is expected to drive a surge in sickness in the coming weeks.

The UK Health Security Agency monitors the levels of illness circulating via its sentinel “spotter” laboratories. It has issued four key bits of advice for families to protect themselves against norovirus and flu. It said norovirus activity in the past fortnight is more than double the five-season average for the same two-week period while flu is steadily increasing.

Dr Richard Pebody, director for emerging infections at the UKHSA, said: “As children return to school after the half-term holidays, it’s important that they get off to the best start possible ahead of winter. Staying healthy and taking simple steps to reduce the spread of illness will ensure children and their families experience less disruption at this important time of year. Each winter, we see an increase in acute respiratory and gastro-intestinal illnesses, however it only takes simple steps to reduce the spread of most of these infections.”

The UKHSA said it is vital that parents encourage good hygiene habits for children, reinforcing the importance of handwashing and using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes. Children should be told to wash their hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser when convenient.

Children are encouraged to stay in school or nursery with symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or slight cough, if otherwise well and not suffering from a high temperature. However when they have experienced diarrhoea or vomiting the advice is very different. In these cases children should be kept at home until at least 48 hours after these symptoms clear up. If a child is suffering from a fever the UKHSA says they should stay home until the fever has passed and they are well enough to attend.

Stomach bugs spread rapidly in schools and nurseries. The UKHSA says if you or your child have experienced diarrhoea or vomiting wash your hands with soap and warm water and use bleach-based products to clean surfaces.

Don’t prepare food for others if you have such symptoms or for 48 hours after symptoms stop. If you are unwell, you should also avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to avoid passing on the infection to those more vulnerable. Do not return to school, nursery or work until 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.

All primary school age children who have turned two years old before September 1, all three year olds, and secondary school children from Year 7 to Year 11 are eligible for the flu vaccine. The UKHSA encourages parents to check children are up to date with their routine vaccinations, which protect against diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria and polio. It is still detecting cases of measles and says if parents are unsure of their child’s vaccination status, they should check their child’s red book or contact their local GP.

The UKHSA’s Dr Richard Pebody added: “By following advice on good hygiene habits, knowing when to keep your child off school and taking up the opportunity to get vaccinated, parents are protecting their children and the wider school community.”