Half-term advice for families | News and events

Health leaders have offered important advice on how to keep the whole family well during half-term, as schools across the area gear up for the break.

The February half-term week can be a particularly busy time for NHS services, with winter bugs still in circulation. Parents can help their family stay healthy by following a couple of simple tips.

This includes packing a first aid kit if you are going away to help with minor injuries and ailments such as small cuts and grazes, upset stomachs or dehydration. A well-stocked first aid kit contains essentials like paracetamol (tablets and/or liquid form); plasters and bandages; antiseptic wipes; and a thermometer.

If anyone in your family starts to feel unwell during the half-term week, NHS 111 can offer advice quickly and easily via 111.nhs.uk online, or through 111 over the phone. The 111 phone service is available anywhere in England, Wales and Scotland, with 111.nhs.uk and 111.wales.nhs.uk covering England and Wales.

Pharmacies can also support people with a range of common issues, from coughs and colds to stomach ache. Families who are away and unsure of where their nearest pharmacy is can find out via www.nhs.uk/find-a-pharmacy.

Dr Fiona Head, Chief Medical Officer at Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System (ICS), offers her expert advice:

“If you’re going away during half-term, please make sure you pack a first aid kit so you’ve got the essentials to keep your family healthy.

“If anyone in your family does start to feel unwell and you need some advice, please use NHS 111 first. 111 can link you to the right service for your issue, and will get you to speak to a doctor or nurse if necessary.

“Together we can all stay well and enjoy the half-term break.”

If you or your child is due a flu or COVID-19 vaccinations, you can visit one of our special half-term Vaccinators pop-up events. Visit the ICS website to find out more.