Nurse'S Corner
We have been seeing different kinds of illnesses diagnosed in our school recently, and we have had several students out sick. Many children come to my office soon after they arrive at school with a variety of complaints of not feeling well, possibly due to sore throat, earache, headache, stomachache, nausea, and vomiting. Sometimes all they need is to stay home for some rest, fluids and medication to help with some of these symptoms. We require that children with symptoms such as: fever over 100 degrees, diarrhea, vomiting, sore throat, rashes, red draining eyes, thick green nasal drainage, etc., need to stay home for 24 hours after these symptoms are resolved or a note from their pediatrician is sent to school stating that the child can return to school. Children who are suspected of having a communicable disease will be sent home for diagnosis and treatment. After a child is diagnosed with an infection, it is very important to keep him/her out of school for at least 24-48 hours after starting antibiotics. The best measure to prevent the spread of communicable diseases is good hand washing and proper disposal of facial tissues containing respiratory secretions. Having sick children come to school only to be sent home shortly after arrival makes the child uncomfortable, inconveniences the parent, and exposes other children who then become sick also. Please take some time to observe your child to make sure they are free from these viruses and bacterial germs that are going around. Please call me if you have any questions or would like to discuss your child's illness. If you have a change in address or phone number, remember to contact the school office. It is very important to be able to reach you in the event your child becomes ill at school. Have a safe and HEALTHY school year!
Isolation and exposure guidance and protocols
Guidance for Children and Staff in Child Care, K-12, OST, and Recreational Camp Settings:
Quarantine is no longer required nor recommended for children or staff in these settings, regardless of vaccination status or where the exposure occurred. All exposed individuals may continue to attend programming as long as they remain asymptomatic. Those who can mask should do so until Day 10, and it is recommended that they test on Day 6 of exposure. If symptoms develop, follow the guidance for symptomatic individuals, below.
Children and staff who test positive must isolate for at least 5 days. If they are asymptomatic or symptoms are resolving and they have been fever free without the use of fever-reducing medicine for 24 hours, they may return to programming after Day 5 and should wear a high-quality mask through Day 10:
If the individual is able to mask, they must do so through Day 10.
If the individual has a negative test on Day 5 or later, they do not need to mask.
If the individual is unable to mask, they may return to programming with a negative test on Day 5 or later.
Symptomatic individuals can remain in their school or program if they have mild symptoms, are tested immediately onsite, and that test is negative. Best practice would also include wearing a mask, if possible, until symptoms are fully resolved. For symptomatic individuals, DPH recommends a second test within 48 hours if the initial test is negative.
If the symptomatic individual cannot be tested immediately, they should be sent home and allowed to return to their program or school if symptoms remain mild and they test negative, or they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and their symptoms are resolving, or if a medical professional makes an alternative diagnosis. A negative test is strongly recommended for return.
COVID-19 symptoms
Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
New loss of taste or smell
Muscle aches or body aches
Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms
Nausea, vomiting, when in combination with other symptoms
Headache, when in combination with other symptoms
Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms
Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies), when in combination with other symptoms
Flu Shot Resources
This page will contain all the information you need to stay up to date on Massachusetts new flue shot mandate.