School Nurse
Families often face the decision of whether their child is well enough to attend school. While some cases may be clear, others can be more difficult to assess. Below are some general guidelines to help determine when it's best to keep your child home.
Deciding When to Keep Your Child Home from School
COVID-19 Guidance - March/April 2024
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has updated guidance on COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses:
- Anyone sick with a respiratory virus should stay home and away from others.
- For people with COVID-19 and influenza, treatment is available and can lessen symptoms and lower risk of severe illness.
New recommendations for the CDC state that people can return to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, symptoms are improving overall, and if a fever was present, it has been gone without use of a fever-reducing medication. When they return to school, work and other activities, they should wear a well- fitting mask for 5 days.
For staff and students who test positive for COVID-19, there is no longer an automatic period of 5 days when they must stay home. Once a person has improved overall and is fever-free for 24 hours, they can resume normal activities and are encouraged to take additional prevention strategies for the next 5 days to curb disease spread, such as enhancing hygiene practices (covering coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces), taking steps for cleaner air, such as bringing in more fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors when possible and wearing a well-fitting mask.
A sick child cannot learn effectively and is unable to participate in classes in a meaningful way. Keeping a sick child home prevents the spread of illness in the school community and allows the child opportunity to rest and recover.
For any questions or concerns: