December 8^th 2022 

 

Dear Parent / Guardian, 

I am writing to inform you that two students have been diagnosed with suspected scarlet fever and / or influenza.  Where both diseases are circulating at the same time there is a slight increased risk of more serious infection. 

 

Influenza 

Most children will have a mild illness and will recover at home without needing treatment. Children with flu-like symptoms: fever (38ºC or greater), cough, sore throat, runny nose, or headache, shouldstay off school until they are free of symptoms. 

The children's flu vaccine is offered as a yearly nasal spray to young children to help protect them against flu. Our students received the nasal spray on 5 and 7 December. The nasal spray flu vaccine will not only help protect your child against flu, the infection will also be less able to spread from them to their family, carers and the wider population.  

Children with a complexmedical history 

It is important that you seek advice from your GP if your child has a complex medical history (such as asthma or immunosuppression), which potentially increases their risk of severe disease if they get flu and they have not received this season’s flu vaccine more than 14 days ago; your GP will advise if they require prompt preventative antiviral prophylaxis. In addition if your child has a complex medical history and develops any flu-like symptoms your GP can advise whether they should receiveantiviral treatment. 

 

Scarlet fever 

Scarlet fever is also a mild childhood illness but unlike influenza, it requires antibiotic treatment. Symptoms include a sore throat, headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, followed by a fine red rash which typicallyfirst appears on the chest and stomach,rapidly spreading to other parts of the body. On more darkly-pigmented skin, the scarlet rash may be harder to spot, but it should feel like 'sandpaper'. The face can be flushed red but pale around the mouth.As the rash fades the skin on the fingertips, toes and groin area can peel.

If you think you, or your child, have scarlet fever: 

 

• see your GP or contactNHS 111 as soon as possible 
• make sure that you/your child takes the full course of any antibiotics prescribed by      the doctor 
• stay at home, away from nursery, school or work for at least 24 hours after startingthe antibiotic treatment, to avoid spreading the infection 

 

Complications 

Children who have recently had influenza are more at risk of developing serious infection during an outbreak of scarlet fever and so parents should remain vigilant for symptoms such as a persistent high fever, cellulitis (skin infection) and arthritis (joint redness, pain or swelling). If you are concerned for any reasonplease seek medicalassistance immediately. 

If your child has an underlying condition which affects their immune system, you should contact your GP or hospitaldoctor to discusswhether any additional measures are needed. 

You can find more information on influenza and scarlet fever on www.nhs.uk. Further advice can also be obtained from the Health Protection Team on 0344 225 3861 during office hours.  For Out of hours urgent enquiries please ring 0844 967 0085. 

Please also see:

Fact sheet for schools and parents about Group A Streptococcus (GAS)/Scarlet Fever 

 

Yours sincerely, 

 

Charles Joseph 

Principal