Covid 19 FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS DURING COVID 19

  1. When a child should not go school and their parent should phone their GP.
  2. When a child should not go to school and should be monitored at home by a parent or carer.
  3. A child can go to primary school/creche if they have…
  4. Secondary School Student or Adult has a sore throat and/or runny nose
  5. Request for work certificate while waiting for result of a Covid 19 test result.
  6. Guidance on parental certification for children returning to school and childcare settings.
  7. Returning to work certification.
  8. Requesting a repeat prescription.
  9. Requests for a ‘letter of exemption’ from wearing a face covering.
  10. Covid19 vaccine information  https://www2.hse.ie/screening-and-vaccinations/covid-19-vaccine/
  11. Isolation quick guide: adults and children from their 13th birthday

1. WHEN A CHILD SHOULD NOT GO TO SCHOOL AND THEIR PARENT SHOULD PHONE THEIR GP

When they have the following symptoms which could indicate Covid 19:-

  1. Fever of 38 degrees or higher or
  2. A new cough
  3. Difficulty breathing
  4. Change or loss of sense of taste or smell

If your child has any of the above symptoms they MUST stay at home and isolate. You should telephone their GP who will tell you what to do next – including whether they need a free test.

The rest of the child’s household should also stay at home, at least until they are further advised by the GP.

If your child appears seriously unwell it is unlikely to be Covid 19 and is more likely to be another illness that needs urgent medical attention. Please call your GP or phone 999 if you are very concerned – we do not want to delay treating other illnesses such as meningitis or pneumonia.

Please also note: Children should not go to school if someone in their household is unwell with symptoms of Covid 19 – that person should phone their GP.

Children should not go to school if they are told they are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid 19.

Children should not go to school if they have returned from a Country that is not on the green list within the last 14 days.

2. WHEN A CHILD SHOULD NOT GO TO SCHOOL AND SHOULD BE MONITORED AT HOME BY A PARENT OR CARER

A child who is mildly unwell with a temperature of less than 38 degrees and who has no cough, no difficulty breathing and normal sense of taste and smell, should stay at home with a parent or carer.

Their parents can go to work and siblings can go to school.  The parent or carer should telephone their GP if the child becomes more unwell. These children can return to school once they have been well for 48 hours

3. A CHILD CAN GO TO PRIMARY SCHOOL/CRECHE IF THEY HAVE…….

If they have a runny nose or are sneezing, but are otherwise active and well with a normal temperature (less than 37.5 degrees), no cough and no difficulty breathing and no loss or change in taste or smell.

Temperature refers to how hot your child is before PARACETAMOL (Calpol) or IBUPROFEN (Nurofen)

4. A SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT AND ADULT THAT HAS A SORE THROAT AND/OR RUNNY NOSE ONLY i.e. no fever, cough, shortness of breath or change of taste or smell, they cannot attend secondary school or work.  You should stay at home from school or work and self isolate until you are 48 hours without symptoms.  There are no restrictions on your household contacts provided they are well.

5. REQUEST FOR WORK CERTIFICATION WHILE AWAITING A COVID 19 TEST RESULT

If a member of your household has been referred for a Covid 19 test the National Public Health Guidelines are that all members of the household need to self-isolate. Click here for guidelines regarding isolation. It is not appropriate to require certification from your doctor to state that you are self-isolating and following national public health guidance. Please show your Employer a screenshot of the text you have received with the appointment time and date for the Covid 19 test and tell them you are following Public Health advice and are required to self isolate pending the results of the test.

We would kindly ask that such letters are not requested. Our GP Practice is working extremely hard to meet the varied healthcare needs of all our patients during this unprecedented pandemic and this will enable us to continue to deliver care to people who are unwell.

6. GUIDANCE ON PARENTAL CERTIFICATION FOR CHILDREN RETURNING TO SCHOOL AND CRECHE SETTINGS

The HPSC has issued Infection Prevention and Control guidance for Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare settings during the COVID-19 Pandemic (V1.8 30.08.2021).

The following is an extract from these guidelines which sets out the position that doctors do not have to provide written certification.

1.“Requiring assurances/certification from medical practitioners prior to attendance at childcare or prior to return to childcare after an absence is not appropriate as it places an unnecessary demand on the healthcare system and there is no reason to expect it to increase the safety of childcare services”

2.“When a child who has needed to stay away from child care for a period is ready to return to childcare the parent/guardian should be asked to provide a brief written declaration that they are satisfied that the child has recovered, that they have followed any medical advice given regarding staying away from childcare and that they have no reason to believe that the child now represents a particular infection risk to other children or to staff. Childcare workers should use their judgement also in considering if the child is well enough to return to childcare. It is not appropriate to require certification from a medical practitioner”

A Parental Declaration Form for return to child care facility is included in Appendix 1 of the HPSC Guidance (scroll to end of document for declaration.)

7. RETURNING TO WORK CERTIFICATION

If you have a underlying medical condition and you are concerned about your return to work , you will find information on the HPSC.ie website for the employer and the employee. Your employer will need to arrange an Occupational Health review on your behalf.

8. REQUESTING A REPEAT PRESCRIPTION

If you need your usual repeat prescription, please give us  five working days’ notice.  This will allow your doctor time to check and prepare your prescription.  Please telephone your pharmacy to arrange dispensing and a collection day/time.

Please email  your prescription request to admin@woodviewfamilydoctors.ie with ALL the following information:

  • Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Your Doctor’s Name
  • Names of each medication required
  • Pharmacy name

Please DO NOT email with clinical queries or concerns. If you are unwell or worried about any symptoms please phone the surgery at 021-482 1111.

9. REQUESTS FOR LETTERS OF EXEMPTION FROM WEARING A FACE COVERING

There have been some requests for your GP to provide a ‘letter of exemption’ from wearing face coverings.  The HSE and Government have excellent guidelines around such exemption criteria from wearing masks.  The guidance can be accessed here https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/face-masks-disposable-gloves.html#not-wear and  https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/aac74c-guidance-on-safe-use-of-face-coverings/

This guidance does not indicate a requirement for a GP ‘letter of exemption’.   It is our practice policy not to issue ‘letter of exemption’ for wearing of a face covering.

We would kindly ask that such letters are not requested. Our GP Practice is working extremely hard to meet the varied healthcare needs of all our patients during this unprecedented pandemic and this will enable us to continue to deliver care to people who are unwell.