Controlling communicable disease in the school setting is of utmost importance.. Providing a safe, comfortable, and healthy environment facilitates the educational process, encourages social development, and allows children to acquire healthy attitudes toward organized settings.

Children who are ill or feel sick can create difficulties in group settings. An ill child often demands more attention from the teacher or caregiver and cannot fully participate in group or educational activities. Worse yet, the child with a communicable disease may spread the illness to others. This is especially concerning for medically fragile children. Accordingly, it is essential that educators and parents control the spread of communicable disease by safe, effective, and practical efforts.

The following are conditions of special concern to us for which children should be kept home as well as minimum requirements for when they should return. When necessary children should be diagnosed and treated by a licensed clinician before returning to school:

1. Colds/Flu

Children with coughing, sneezing, chills, general body discomfort, fatigue, fever, and discharge from the nose and/or eyes, should be kept home until fever is resolved for 48 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medicine) and any yellow or green drainage is resolved.

1. COVID-19

Symptoms can be mild-severe and include cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell. Other less common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

A person testing positive and has symptoms should stay home until:

• At least 5 days have passed after symptoms first appeared and they have had no fever for at least 24 hours (that is one full day of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers) such as Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen or Aspirin.

• AND other symptoms have improved (for example, when cough or shortness of breath have improved).

• They should continue to wear a mask for a full 10 days from their test date.

A person who DID NOT have COVID-19 symptoms, but tested positive may return to school under the following conditions**:

• At least 5 days have passed after the date of their first positive test.

• AND they continue to have no symptoms (no cough or shortness of breath) since the test.

• They should continue to wear a mask for a full 10 days from their test date.

A person who was exposed to COVID but is fully protected with up to date vaccinations or through a confirmed positive case within 90 days of exposure may return to school but should wear a mask for a full 10 days after the exposure. They should also get a COVID test on day 5 after exposure.

A person who was exposed to COVID but is not fully protected may return to school under the following conditions**:

• At least 5 days have passed after the date of their most recent exposure.

• AND they continue to have no symptoms (no cough or shortness of breath) since the exposure.

• They should continue to wear a mask for a full 10 days from their exposure date

• They should also get a COVID test on day 5 after their most recent exposure.

**In all cases, follow the guidance of your doctor and the Utah County Health Department.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

1. Persistent Cough

Cough lasting longer than 3-4 days especially if it induces vomiting, passing out or a cough that is productive of colored sputum.

1. Diarrheal Diseases

An increase in the number of bowel movements compared with the child's normal pattern with watery or unformed stools which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, headache, and/or fever should be resolved for at least 48 hours before returning to school. If any kind of stool softeners (fleets, enema, laxative, etc.) are administered, please keep students home for at least 24 hours.

1. Impetigo

Blister-like skin lesions and oozing or crusted sores should be evaluated by a healthcare provider and treated with an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before the child returns to school.

1. Pink-Eye or Conjunctivitis

Symptoms of conjunctivitis include redness, discharge from eye, matted eyelashes, and burning or itching eyes and should be evaluated by a healthcare provider. The individual must have the symptoms resolved or be treated with a topical antibiotic for at least 24 hours before

returning to school.

1. Open wounds or sores

Wounds that are open or draining should be kept covered with a dressing.

1. Vomiting

Nausea with emesis. Must be free of vomiting for 48 hours prior to returning to school or 72 hours if NoroVirus is suspected.

1. Strep throat or other bacterial infection

Should be treated with an antibiotic for at least 24 hours and fever-free for at least 24 hours.

1. Temperature over 100.4

Must be afebrile for 48 hours without the use of medicine that reduces fevers before returning to school.

1. Skin Rash

Presence of any skin rash that might be due to an infection should be evaluated by a healthcare provider or resolved before returning to school