Common COVID-19 symptoms mean more stringent guidelines for sick students returning to class
Most parents are familiar with the rule that kids are supposed to be "fever free for 24 hours without medication" before they can go back to class.
But COVID-19 added a new level of rules for Kindergarten through 12th grade students that many parents may not realize.
When a child is sent home sick from school, even if it’s not COVID, they’ll likely need a doctor’s visit before they’re allowed back.
One parent says a teacher told him that if your child says they don’t feel well, expect a call to pick them up from school.
If students show any COVID symptoms, from a cough, headache, sore throat or fever, many school districts, including Wake County, require a negative COVID test or visit to the doctor to confirm another diagnosis.
We asked Dr Joanne Fruth, Chief Medical Officer of Avance Primary Care about the policy from a provider’s perspective.
"What do parents need to be aware of? Your child may be home with a cold, whereas in the past, like you say, two years ago that child may have been allowed to be in school ill," said Fruth. She added, "Think about all those symptoms, they’re, they’re typical to what the common cold would be, uh, typical to influenza, even typical of the stomach bug in some cases for children."
5 On Your Side learned of the requirement this summer, when an elementary student was sent home complaining of a headache.
The school handed his mom a form detailing the policy.
A trip to the doctor and copay later, the diagnosis was dehydration.
"So, there will be impact for families, that’s for sure," said Fruth.
If a COVID test is required, results can take a couple of days.
"And that may bring frustration to families as they’re having to wait for that, that PCR to return," says Fruth, reminding though, that it’s all to help schools limit cases and spread. "The enemy’s the virus, right? The enemy is not the mask or the person that tells us to put the mask on…keep that in mind when we’re annoyed by these days, home from school, because you know, with over 650,000 deaths in the United States from COVID, we don’t want that to be your family member."
