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

Re-admission of students who have been absent from school because of a communicable disease is governed by the following:
  • CHICKEN POX – MUST have a 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 is 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 a doctor’s permit to re-enter school AND documentation that two cultures failed to show the presence of the disease.
  • FIFTHS 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 a doctor’s written permission to return to school, must stay home until 24 hours of antibiotic treatment has been completed, AND must not have a temperature over 100.0 F for 24 hours without the use of fever-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 blisters must be dry.
  • *HEPATITIS A – MUST have a doctor’s written permission to return to school.
  • *HEPATITIS B (acute) – MUST have a doctor’s written permission to return to school.
  • *HEPATITIS E – MUST have a doctor’s written permission to return to school.

  • IMPETIGO – MUST have a 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 the student is without a temperature over 100.0 F for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications, and symptoms do not interfere with routine school activities.

  • *MEASLES – MUST have a doctor’s written permission to return to school, must stay home until at least 4 days after the appearance of the rash, AND without a 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 the recommendation of your local health department.
  • MENINGITIS – MUST have a 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 a no nit policy). Prior to returning to school, the child must be checked by the school nurse unless the student was professionally treated.
  • PERTUSSIS (WHOOPING COUGH) – MUST have a doctor’s written permission to return to school AND must stay home for 5 days after the initiation of an 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 a 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 a doctor’s written permission to return to school. Must stay home until cessation of diarrhea AND until stool cultures are negative.
  • SCABIES – MUST have a 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 antifungal 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 the 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 in order to return to school. Please notify the school nurse if your student has been diagnosed with a medical condition that may cause vomiting such as reflux, or if the student is having side effects from antibiotic treatment.

*These are considered communicable/reportable diseases by the Virginia Department of Health.

 

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