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Regulation for Common Acute Communicable Conditions

  • Chicken Pox (Varicella Zoster Virus) – Highly contagious. Student must be excluded from school and may return after no further eruptions and all vesicles (blisters) become crusted over.
     

  • Conjunctivitis (Pink eye) – Exclusion from school for both bacterial and viral. May return when eyes are clear or post 24 hours of treatment with prescription medication. Must have written verification of treatment. Students with allergic conjunctivitis do no need to be excluded.
     

  • Croup – Student should remain out of school until physically well and afebrile for 24 hours without fever reducing medications.
     

  • Diarrhea – Student not generally dismissed from school for one loose stool unless accompanied by other signs of illness. Must be afebrile for 24 hours without fever reducing medications before returning to school. If diarrhea persists, student must have written note from PCP that no viral, bacterial, or parasitic condition exists.
     

  • Fifth Disease – Exclude student if febrile. May return to school if afebrile without fever reducing medications for 24 hours.
     

  • Coxsackie Virus – Exclude student from school until lesions are gone and fever free without fever reducing medications for 24 hours.
     

  • Head Lice – Refer to FS CSD Head Lice Policy.
     

  • Impetigo – Exclude student from school until lesions have been treated with prescription medication. Lesions must be dry. Must have written verification from PCP to return to school.
     

  • Mononucleosis – Exclude student from school until acute symptoms have subsided. Must have PCP note for return to school with any activity restrictions or recommendations.
     
  • MRSA – Exclude student from school until treated with antibiotics for 24 hours. Must have physicians note to return to school and sports. Keep wound(s) covered until no longer open or draining.
     
  • Ringworm (Tinea Corporis) – Exclude student from school and sports until treatment is verified by PCP. Area should be covered when student returns to school. Re-check student in 1 to 2 weeks, if no improvement refer back to PCP.
     
  • Scabies - Exclude student from school. Student is not contagious 24 hours post prescribed treatment and may return to school with PCP verification of treatment.
     
  • Scarlet Fever – Exclude student from school until treated with prescription medication and fever free without fever reducing medications for 24 hours.
     
  • Strep Throat – Exclude student from school. May return post treatment with prescribed medication and fever free without fever reducing medications for 24 hours.
     
  • Thrush (Oral Candidiasis) – Exclude student from school until proper medical treatment has been verified by PCP.

Written verification of treatment by physician or physician note to return to school and sports may be requested by any building nurse per the
nurse’s discretion.

Communicable Disease Education Law

Communicable Disease Education Law authorizes physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and registered professional nurses (RN) to assess and exclude a student who displays signs and symptoms of a communicable disease. Medical directors should provide written guidance for school nurses and other school health professionals to follow on the basic signs and symptoms of potential infectious disease that warrant excluding a student from school until the student is seen and cleared by a licensed health care provider.

Such signs may include, but are not limited to:

  • Oral temperature over 100.3° Fahrenheit;
  • Unexplained diarrhea or vomiting;
  • Unexplained rash;
  • Lethargy, loss of appetite;
  •  Pallor;
  • Sudden onset of pain;
  • Severe cough;
  • Sore throat;
  • Blood or pus drainage from the ear