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As we enter the fall season, this is a time when illnesses like colds, flu, and other respiratory viruses tend to spread more easily. To help prevent the spread of illness within our school community please follow these important guidelines:
Situations when your child should stay home:
- Fever of 100 degrees or more. The student should stay home for 24 hours after their temperature returns to normal without the use of fever reducing medication.
- Vomiting/diarrhea more than twice in the preceding 24 hours. Stay home until 24 hours after the last episode.
- Any uncontrolled cough, respiratory virus symptoms that are worsening or not improving and not better explained by another cause such as seasonal allergies *
- Rash with a fever and/or unknown cause. Check with your family physician/clinic before your student returns to school.
- If feeling ill/unwell and the student is unable to fully participate in school activities.
CDC Respiratory Virus Guidelines: Respiratory virus symptoms can include fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache, among others. The guidance for common respiratory illnesses (flu, COVID, RSV) is to stay home for 24 hours until both:
- Your symptoms are getting better, and
- You have not had a fever without taking fever-reducing medication.
Practice Good Hygiene:
- Remind your children to wash their hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Encourage them to cover their coughs and sneezes with a tissue or their elbow and avoid touching their face.
Vaccinations:
- Keep your child up-to-date with vaccinations to reduce the risk of contracting vaccine preventable diseases and prevent serious illness.
Communicable Disease Alerts
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
There is currently an outbreak of Pertussis (Whooping Cough) in Hennepin County and cases have been reported in our school district community. The first symptoms of pertussis are similar to a cold. After a week or two, the cough worsens and may occur in sudden, uncontrollable bursts. Sometimes coughing will lead to vomiting or a high-pitched whoop sound when breathing in.
Anyone with symptoms should stay home, contact their healthcare provider and consider getting tested for pertussis.
MDH Pertussis Fact Sheet
Measles
There is currently a measles outbreak in Minnesota. The outbreak began in May 2024. It is primarily affecting unvaccinated children in the Twin Cities metro area. However, anyone who is not up to date on their measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is at risk of getting measles.
The MMR vaccine is safe and extremely effective at protecting kids, families and the entire community. Unvaccinated people exposed to measles need to stay home and away from others (quarantine) for 21 days.
MDH Measles Fact Sheet
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