Fife parents told children more likely to get common illnesses

Parents have been warned of a likely increase in prevalence of common childhood infections now that schools have reopened.

NHS Fife and Fife Council urged parents and carers to be aware that pupils may be more susceptible to catching common infections.

In a letter, Carrie Lindsay, executive director of education and children’s services at Fife Council, said: “There may be an increased risk of catching these common, childhood illnesses after months in lockdown so please follow the advice if your child is sick.

“Following a bout of sickness or diarrhoea your child must stay at home for 48 hours, from the last symptoms.”

The advice from Mrs Lindsay was reiterated by NHS Fife’s director of public health, Dona Milne, who said: “The physical distancing measures taken over recent months have helped

“There may be an increased risk... after months in lockdown. CARRIE LINDSAY

to suppress the spread of Covid-19 as well as many other communicable bugs and viruses.

“With many of the public health measures now being eased, it is likely we will see an increasing prevalence of things like colds and sickness bugs.

“We need to remember that all the usual childhood infections are still out there too.”

Ms Milne also urged the public not to be complacent in the battle against coronavirus.

She said: “With the prevalence of Covid-19 now much lower... it is easy to think the virus is no longer a risk to our health – that is far from the case.

“As we have seen elsewhere in the country, there is still the potential for larger scale spread of the virus if we don’t continue to practise effective hand washing and follow the guidance around physical distancing and the wearing of face coverings.”