Covid 19
Department for Education coronavirus helpline
Staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:
- Phone: 0800 046 8687
- Opening hours:
- 8am to 6pm — Monday to Friday
- 10am to 4pm — Saturday and Sunday
Hand-washing advice
Hand-washing with soap employs a mechanical action that loosens bacteria and viruses from the skin, rinsing them into the drain. Drying hands afterwards makes the skin less hospitable to the virus. Hand sanitiser can be effective if soap is not available, or the situation makes using soap less feasible (i.e. when outside), but using hand sanitiser provides none of the virus-destroying friction that rubbing your hands together and rinsing with water provides.
Guidance and video on hand-washing can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
The e-Bug project is led by Public Health England and has a dedicated webpage for learning resources on hand-washing and respiratory hygiene.
Resources are currently available for KS1, KS2 and KS3 and can be used in various settings, including schools and at home:
Collection of guidance for educational settings on GOV.UK
All the Department for Education’s coronavirus guidance for educational settings can now be found in one place on GOV.UK at: