Exclusion Guidelines - Communicable Disease

Communicable Diseases


Illness and Communicable Disease Exclusion Guidelines

Below is a list of common childhood illnesses and conditions and the parameters for exclusion from school and what is necessary a student to return to school. Spencerport Central School District utilized recommendations created by the New York State Department of Health, Monroe County Department of Public Health, New York State Education Department, and our district medical director when adopting these guidelines. 

Chicken Pox â€“ Student may return when fever free for at least 24 hours without assistance from fever-reducing medication, feels well enough to participate in learning, and after lesions are scabbed over (which takes approximately 5-7 days).

Conjunctivitis - Student should be evaluated by a healthcare provider when student is too ill to learn, has significant irritation or pain, reduced vision, light sensitivity and/or redness, swelling or lesions on the eyelid. If evaluated by a physician and prescribed medication, student may return to school once medication has been started.

COVID 19 - Students may return to school and normal activities when symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours and if a fever was present, they should be fever free without fever reducing medications. Once resuming normal activities, students are encouraged to take additional steps for the next 5 days to decrease the risk of spread, such as wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping distance from others, and enhancing hygiene practices. 

Emesis/Vomiting - If cause of vomiting is determined to be from illness, student should be sent home. If no fever develops, student may return the following day if feeling well.

Fever â€“ If temperature is greater than 100, student will be sent home. Student may return to school when fever free for at least 24 hours without assistance from fever-reducing medication and feels well enough to participate in learning.

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease - If suspected, student will be sent home from school with recommendation to be evaluated by a healthcare provider. Student may return to school when fever-free for at least 24 hours without assistance from fever-reducing medication, feels well enough to participate in learning.

Influenza - Student may return to school with improved symptoms and when fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and feel well enough to participate in learning.


Impetigo â€“ If lesions are small and on an exposed surface (face, arm), the nurse will cover area and contact parent to schedule a same-day medical appointment. Student can stay in school if area is able to be covered until treated or evaluated by a medical provider. If student has multiple lesions that are weeping and/or are unable to be covered, the student will need to be sent home and may not return to school until evaluated by a medical provider. Student may return after 24 hours of oral and/or topical treatment. Swimming is not allowed until area is healed. If student is on the wrestling team, see sport guidelines and notify coach.  Athlete must have a medical clearance to return to wrestling.

Lice â€“ If head lice in a student is identified they should remain in class but be discouraged from close direct head contact with others. It is important to maintain confidentiality. The student’s parent or guardian will be notified by telephone stating prompt and proper treatment of this condition is in the best interest of the student and their classmates. In summary, no healthy student will be excluded from school or miss school time due to head lice or nits.

Mononucleosis â€“Student may return to school when fever free for at least 24 hours without assistance from fever-reducing medication and feels well enough to participate in learning. If student has activity restrictions, the medical note should be submitted to the student's health office.


Pinworm â€“ No exclusion is required.

Rashes â€“ If rash is generalized and cannot be connected to allergy, medications or contact dermatitis, student may need to be sent home to be evaluated by a medical provider to determine contagiousness. If Fifths Disease is suspected (slapped cheek pattern), student is not contagious once the rash is present.  Student may remain in school if fever free and feels well enough to participate in learning.

Ringworm - Student will be referred for medical evaluation and excluded from school until treatment has started. A note from the provider stating when the student may return to school is required. The lesion must be covered by clothing, gauze, or dressing when the student is in school until all signs of infection are gone. No swimming until area is healed completely. If student is on the wrestling team, see sport guidelines and notify coach.  Athlete must have a medical clearance to return to wrestling.  Lesions on head normally require oral anti-fungal medication.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)Student may return to school with improved symptoms and cough is manageable, and when fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and feel well enough to participate in learning.

Shingles - Lesions must be able to be covered in order to return to school. Student must also be fever free for at least 24 hours without assistance from fever-reducing medication and feel well enough to participate in learning. No swimming until area is healed. If student is on the wrestling team, see sport guidelines and notify coach.  Athlete must have a medical clearance to return to wrestling.

Strep Throat â€“ Not all sore throats are strep throat.  The only way to determine is by throat culture. Student will be sent home if temperature is greater than 100 and/or if strep throat is strongly suspected by the school nurse. If throat culture is negative (rapid test included), student may return to school if fever free for at least 24 hours without assistance from fever-reducing medication. If culture is positive, student must receive at least 24 hours of antibiotics, be fever free for at least 24 hours without the assistance of fever-reducing medication and feel well enough to participate in learning before returning to school. Please notify the school nurse if your child has strep throat.

Whooping Cough - Student must be treated with antibiotics for 5 days before returning to school. Student must also be fever free for at least 24 hours without assistance from fever-reducing medication and feel well enough to participate in learning.


Please contact the school health office with any further questions or concerns.

References:

Guidelines for managing emergency health care and communicable diseases in the school setting November 2022, https://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/documents/managing-emergencies-and-communicable-diseases.pdf

Monroe County Department of Public Health Website, Epidemiology and disease control, accessed 6 January 2023, http://www.monroecounty.gov/health-epi

New York State Department of Health Website, Communicable disease fact sheets, accessed 6 January 2023, https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/index.htm