The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reminded parents and carers of the small changes they can make to ensure their children have a healthy start to the new year and a new school term. The new year provides a chance to teach children about the importance of good hygiene, which is especially important at this time of year, with winter bugs like the flu and norovirus circulating widely.

UKHSA’s latest surveillance data shows that flu activity increased over the Christmas break than from what it was before the school holidays, emphasising the importance of reinforcing good hygiene habits to children as they go back to school.

Flu levels are expected to rise further once children go back to school and parents return to the workplace. These small steps can help reduce the spread of these infections and protect households and classrooms from illness at the start of the new term.

Parents are encouraged to teach good hygiene habits by leading by example through using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes, as well as washing hands. Not relying on alcohol gels, as these don’t kill all bugs, and instead regularly washing hands with soap and warm water for twenty seconds, is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of germs.

Moreover, it is important that parents know when to send their children to school and when to keep them at home, as too much time off school can disrupt learning. Children can stay in school when they have symptoms like a runny nose, a sore throat, or a slight cough if otherwise well and do not have a temperature. If a child has symptoms such as a fever, diarrhoea, or vomiting, they should stay at home.

Stomach bugs spread easily in schools, nurseries and households, so if you or your child have diarrhoea and vomiting, washing your hands with soap and warm and water alongside using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will help prevent infections from spreading. Alcohol gels do not kill off norovirus. Do not prepare food for others if you are displaying norovirus symptoms or for 48 hours after symptoms stop, and avoid visiting people and care homes if you are feeling unwell. Children should stay off school until 48 hours after symptoms have stopped to help prevent further spread of infection.

Getting a flu vaccination offers the best protection against infection and severe disease, reducing the likelihood of hospitalisation. Although it is late in the programme, if you are eligible and not yet vaccinated, you are still able to get vaccinated.

It is still paramount to make sure your children are caught up with their routine vaccinations, which protect against diseases like measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria and polio. Falling vaccination rates among young children last year caused a measles outbreak across England. Should parents be unsure of their child’s vaccination status, they can check their child’s red book or contact their local GP.

If you are pregnant, it is especially important that you accept all vaccinations offered to you, such as whooping cough and the new RSV vaccine which protects newborn babies against serious illness.

Dr Richard Pebody, director of clinical and emerging infections at UKHSA, said: “It’s an important time of year, as children get started on the new school term. There are simply steps you can take to help stop the spread of nasty illness in the next few weeks of winter, including making sure your child is regularly washing their hands, knowing when to keep your child off school and ensuring they are up to date with vaccinations.”