Return to School After Illness: 

The New York State Department of Health’s (NYSDOH) latest guidelines on COVID-19 dated March 7, 2024 have been revised and follows the updated CDC recommendations.

This new guidance is effective immediately and indicates when to stay home and when individuals can return to normal activities after respiratory infections including COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. Below are the key points:

• Individuals should stay home and away from others, including people they live with who are not sick, if they have respiratory virus symptoms that are not better explained by another cause. These symptoms can include fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache (NYSDOH Guidance, 3/7/2024).
• Individuals can go back to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both of the following are true:
  • Symptoms are getting better overall, and
  • They no longer have a fever without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• When going back to normal activities, individuals should take added precautions over the next 5 days, including taking additional steps for cleaner air, hygiene, masks, physical distancing, and testing when they will be around other people, especially older adults, young children, and those with weakened immune systems (NYSDOH Guidance, 3/7/2024).
• Keep in mind that people may still be able to spread the virus that made them sick, even if they are feeling better, so it is important to take extra precautions after resuming normal activities.
• If individuals develop a fever or start to feel worse, they should stay home and away from others again. They should use the same criteria for returning to normal activities as when they first had symptoms and take added precautions over the next 5 days.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your building’s School Nurse and they will be happy to assist you. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we continue to transition to a post-pandemic environment.