COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has reached 23 cases in the UK at the time I am writing this post. While the government assures the public they will control it, a mass outbreak may be inevitable. If there is a surge in Coronavirus cases, schools may close in the UK.

6 UK schools have already sent home pupils over coronavirus fears:

Winchmore School

Cleve Park School

Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s school

Ashcroft Technology Academy

Sydney Russell School

Pinner High School

This only happened as a precaution. Some of the schools had recently had a school trip to Italy, while some students visited for leisure.

There is concerning news, a man from Surrey has tested positive for COVID-19, though he has not recently travelled abroad. It could be a false positive, however, it most likely is not. This shows that there might be more cases of coronavirus in the UK than we think.

It’s starting to move into summer time now, scientists are predicting that coronavirus will become less contagious due to the warm weather. If there is a mass outbreak in the UK, most UK schools will close for 2 months (or until coronavirus becomes less contagious).

If you are doing your GCSE’s or A-Levels, you might get 2 extra months to study. Though this also means that you are technically 2 months held behind (everyone is). In the beginning, I thought of this negatively, but 2 extra months of revision will be very useful for students. Although a lot of students probably just want to get their exams out of the way, it might boost the school’s exam scores as well.

How to prevent catching the coronavirus

The following methods of prevention come from the NHS website, which is a trusted source. They say the most effective methods of prevention are:

cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze

put used tissues in the bin immediately

wash your hands with soap and water often — use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available

try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell

These may seem tedious to some people, but it will definitely help limit the spread if people follow these tips. The NHS specifically mentions:

do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

What to do if you have COVID-19

Again, the NHS resources are the best to follow. Here are their guidelines for self-isolation:

stay at home

separate yourself from other people — for example, try not to be in the same room as other people at the same time

only allow people who live with you to stay

stay in a well-ventilated room with a window that can be opened

ask friends, family members or delivery services to carry out errands for you, such as getting groceries, medicines or other shopping

make sure you tell delivery drivers to leave items outside for collection if you order online

clean toilets and bathrooms regularly

think about a bathroom rota if a separate bathroom is not available, with the isolated person using the facilities last, before thoroughly cleaning the bathroom themselves

use separate towels from anyone else in the household

wash crockery and utensils thoroughly with soap and water; dishwashers may be used to clean crockery and cutlery

stay away from your pets — if unavoidable, wash your hands before and after contact

Here is what you should AVOID doing: