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Contagious or Infectious Diseases (According to Virginia School Health Guidelines)

Re-admission of pupils who have been absent from school because of communicable disease is governed by the following:

 

  • CHICKEN POX – MUST have doctor’s written permission to re-enter school AND must stay home for at least 5 days after eruptions first appear or until vesicles become dry.
  • CONJUNCTIVITIS (Pink Eye) – Must stay home while any colored drainage present AND until 24 hours of antibiotic treatment has been completed.
  • COLDS, SORE THROAT OR A PERSISTENT COUGH- Fever free for 24 hours without using any fever reducing medication and symptoms do not interfere with routine school activities.
  • *DIPHTHERIA – MUST have doctor’s permit to re-enter school AND documentation that two cultures failed to show presence of the disease.
  • FIFITHS DISEASE- Fever free for 24 hours without using any fever reducing medication and symptoms do not interfere with routine school activities.
  • GROUP A STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS (Strep Throat, Scarlet Fever, Rheumatic Fever)-MUST have doctor’s written permission to return to school, must stay home until 24 hours of antibiotic treatment has been completed, AND without temperature over 100.0 F for 24 hours without the use of ever reducing medications.
  • HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE- Fever free for 24 hours without using any fever reducing medication and symptoms do not interfere with routine school activities. The student cannot have open draining or intact blisters on their body.  The blister must be dry.
  • *HEPATITIS A – MUST have doctor’s written permission to return school.
  • *HEPATITIS B (acute) – MUST have a doctor’s written permission to return to school.
  • *HEPATITIS E – MUST have doctor’s written permission to return to school.
  • IMPETIGO – MUST have doctor’s written permission to return to school, must stay home until 24 hours of antibiotic treatment has been completed, AND must stay home until lesions are dry. Lesions must be covered until skin is completely clear.
  • INFLUENZA (FLU) – Must stay home until student is without temperature over 100.00 F. For 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications and symptoms do not interfere with routine school activities.
  • *MEASLES – MUST have doctor’s written permission to return to school, must stay home until at least 4 days after the appearance of the rash, AND without temperature over 100.00 F for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
    • Unimmunized students may need to be excluded from school. Follow recommendation of your local health department.
  • MENINGITIS – MUST have doctor’s written permission to return to school. Must stay home during acute illness. Non-communicable after 24-48 hours of appropriate drug therapy.
  • MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTION – MUST have doctor’s written permission to return to school.
  • *MUMPS – MUST have doctor’s permission to return to school AND must stay home for 5 days after the onset of gland swelling.
  • NOROVIRUS- MUST have a doctor’s note to return to school. Must stay home until 24 hours after symptoms resolve.
  • OTITIS MEDIA (EAR INFECTION) – Must stay home if uncontrolled drainage from the ear canal is present.
  • PEDICULOSIS (Head Lice) – MUST stay home until the child is free of lice and nits (GCA has no nit policy). Prior to returning to school, the child must be checked by the school nurse.
  • *PERTUSSIS (WHOOPING COUGH) – MUST have doctor’s written permission to return to school AND must stay home for 5 days after the initiation of antibiotics therapy. Discuss with your local health department.
  • PINWORM INFECTION- MUST stay home for 24 hours after treatment is started.
  • *RUBELLA (GERMAN MEASLES) – MUST have doctor’s written permission to return to school AND must stay home for 7 days after onset of rash. Discuss with your local health department.
  • *SALMONELLOSIS – MUST have doctor’s written permission to return to school, must stay home until cessation of diarrhea, AND until stool cultures are negative.
  • SCABIES – MUST have doctor’s written permission to return to school AND must stay home until 24 hours of doctor’s prescribed treatment has been completed.
  • TINEA (RINGWORM) – Must stay home until 24 hours of anti-fungal therapy has been completed AND infected area MUST be covered (Ringworm of the scalp must be treated by a physician).
  • *TUBERCULOSIS – MUST have a doctor’s written permission to return to school.
  • UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION – Must stay home until student is without temperature over 100.0 F for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
  • VOMITING/DIARRHEA – No vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours to return to school. Please notify school nurse if your student has been diagnosed with a medical condition that may cause vomiting such as reflux or if student is having side effects from antibiotic treatment.

*These are communicable/reportable diseased to the Virginia Department of Health.

 

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