If Your Child Has Coronavirus Symptoms

Symptoms

high temperature – this means they feel hot to touch on their chest or back
new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
loss or change to their sense of smell or taste – this means they've noticed they cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

You can use the NHS online service to help you with any questions you have about coronavirus symptoms or telephone 111.

If your child receives a positive test, the actions you need to take are:

The child and any siblings must go home
The child (showing symptoms) must self-isolate for 10 days
The rest of household must self-isolate for 10 days

Note: for anyone else in the household who starts displaying symptoms, they need to stay at home for at least 10 days from when the symptoms started, regardless of what day they are on in the original 10 day isolation period

COVID-19 Testing

Who can get a test

You can ask for a test:

for yourself, if you have coronavirus symptoms now (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste)
for someone you live with, if they have coronavirus symptoms, including children
for yourself, if you have been told to have a test before you go into hospital, for example, for surgery
test centres are open 7 days a week

When to ask for a test

You need to have the test in the first 8 days of having symptoms.

On days 1 to 7, you can get tested at a test site or at home. If you’re ordering a home test kit on day 7, do it by 3pm.

On day 8, you need to go to a test site - it’s too late to order a home test kit

What the test involves

The test usually involves taking a swab of the inside of your nose and the back of your throat, using a long cotton bud.

You can do the swab yourself (if you are aged 12 or over) or someone can do it for you. Parents or guardians have to swab test children aged 11 or under.