Illness, Cold, and Flu: When to Keep Students At Home

12/5/2022 9:38 am

Illness, Cold, and Flu: When to Keep Students At Home

With the increase in respiratory viruses this season, you may be wondering: “When should I keep my student home, and when should I send them to school?”

Here are some guidelines to help in making that decision. Keep your student home if:

They have a fever. A temperature over 100 degrees often means that your child is both infectious and really not feeling well. Your child can return to school after their temperature is normal for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.

They have tested positive for COVID-19. If your child has tested positive for COVID-19, please keep them home in accordance with guidance from the California Department of Public Health. Students diagnosed with COVID-19 should follow the recommendations listed here, including staying home for at least 5 days and wearing a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings.

Their illness is contagious.  If your child has a contagious illness such as strep throat, flu, or pink eye, they can easily spread their illness to others. If your child has been prescribed antibiotics for their illness, please keep them home for at least 24 hours after their first dose.

They are vomiting or have diarrhea. If your child has either of these symptoms, they should stay home until those symptoms have resolved for at least 24 hours.

They are not acting like “themselves.” If your student is lethargic, or is otherwise not acting like themselves, this may be an early sign of illness. Consider keeping your child home.