For children, COVID-19 is usually a mild illness and most get better in a few days.

Symptoms can include:

• a high temperature or shivering
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
• shortness of breath
• feeling tired
• an aching body
• a headache
• a sore throat
• a blocked or runny nose
• loss of appetite
• diarrhoea
• feeling sick or being sick

 

If a child has symptoms

They should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if they have symptoms of COVID-19 and they either:

• have a high temperature
• do not feel well enough to go to school, college or childcare, or do their normal activities

 

They can go back to school, college or childcare when they feel better or do not have a high temperature. Most children who are unwell will recover in a few days with rest and plenty of fluids.

Guidance for individuals with a positive test

Children aged 18 years and under with a positive COVID-19 test result should try to stay at home for 3 days after the day they took their test.

Individuals aged over 18 years with have a positive COVID-19 test result should stay at home for 5 days after the day they took the test.