CONCISE DESCRIPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXCLUSION OF CASES FROM SCHOO
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DISEASE *Immunization is available |
Usual Interval Between Exposure and First Symptoms of Disease
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MAIN SYMPTOMS
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Minimum Exclusion From School |
| CHICKENPOX | 13 to 17 days | Mild symptoms and fever. Pocks are "blistery." Develop scabs, most on covered parts of body. | 7 days from onset of pocks or until pocks become dry. |
| CONJUNCTIVITIS (PINK EYE) | 24 to 72 hours | Tearing, redness and puffy lids, eye discharge. | Until treatment begins or physician approves readmission. |
| COVID - 19 | 5-6 days, but can be asymptomatic and contagious for up to 14 days | Typical symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath. Atypical symptoms include chills, malaise, sore throat, increased confusion, rhinorrhea or nasal congestion, myalgia, dizziness, headache, nausea and diarrhea. | 14 days following exposure or 10 days isolation for a positive test AND symptom free. |
| ERYTHEMA INFECTIOUSUM (5TH DISEASE) | 4 to 20 days | Usual age 5 to 14 years - unusual in adults. | Brief prodrome of low-grade fever followed by Erythemia (slapped cheek) appearance on cheeks, lace-like rash on extremities lasting a few days to 3 weeks. Rash seems to recur. After diagnosis no exclusion from school. |
| GERMAN MEASLES* (RUBELLA) | 14 to 23 days | Usually mild. Enlarged glands in neck and behind ears. Brief red rash. | 7 days from onset of rash. Keep away from pregnant women. |
| HAEMOPHILUS MENINGITIS | 2 to 4 days | Fever, vomiting, lethargy, stiff neck and back. | Until physician permits return. |
| HEPATITIS A | Variable - 15 to 50 (average 28 to 30 days) | Abdominal pain, nausea, usually fever. Skin and eyes may or may not turn yellow. | 14 days from onset of clinical disease and at least 7 days from onset of jaundice. |
| IMPETIGO | 1 to 3 days | Inflamed sores, with pus. | 48 hours after antibiotic therapy started or until physician permits return. |
| MEASLES* | 10 days to fever, 14 days to rash | Begins with fever, conjunctivitis, runny nose, cough, then blotchy red rash. | 4 days from onset of rash. |
| MENINGOCOCCAL MENINGITIS | 2 to 10 days (commonly 3 to 4 days) | Headache, nausea, stiff neck, fever. | Until physician permits return. |
| MUMPS* | 12 to 25 (commonly 18) days | Fever, swelling and tenderness of glands at angle of jaw. | 9 days after onset of swollen glands or until swelling disappears. |
| PEDICULOSIS (HEAD/BODY LICE) | 7 days for eggs to hatch | Lice and nits (eggs) in hair. | 24 hours after adequate treatment to kill lice and nits. |
| RINGWORM OF SCALP | 10 to 14 days | Scaly patch, usually ring-shaped, on scalp. | No exclusion from school. Exclude from gymnasium, swimming pools, contact sports. |
| SCABIES | 2 to 6 weeks initial exposure; 1 to 4 days reexposure. | Tiny burrows in skin caused by mites. | Until 24 hours after treatment. |
| SCARLET FEVER SCARLANTINA STREP THROAT | 1 to 3 days | Sudden onset, vomiting, sore throat, fever, later fine rash (not on face). Rash usually with first infection. | 24 hours after antibiotics started and no fever. |
| WHOOPING COUGH* (PERTUSSIS) | 7 to 10 days | Head cold, slight fever, cough, characteristic whoop after 2 weeks. | 5 days after start of antibiotic treatment. |
Readmission to School – It is advisable that school authorities require written permission from the health officer, school physician or attending physician before any pupil is readmitted to class following any disease which requires exclusion, not mere absence, from school.
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Approved: Reviewed: 6/10/19 Revised: 5/13/13; 8/10/20