Many parents are concerned about when to keep children who are ill home from school. The following is intended to help parents with this decision:
Per the current Virginia Department of Health (VDH) recommendations updated 9/11/25. Students, teachers, and staff who have symptoms of a respiratory virus can protect others by staying home when sick.Those who have been sick can return to school and child care when, for at least 24 hours, both of these are true: their symptoms are getting better overall, AND they have not had a fever (and are not using a fever-reducing medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen) If your child’s symptoms worsen seek care of a medical provider or emergency room care. Testing is an additional strategy to help protect students, teachers, and staff. While testing is not always necessary, it can help identify if someone is infected with a specific virus so that they can make decisions about treatment and learn how to prevent the spread of the virus to others. If your child tested positive and does not have symptoms, your child does not need to stay home but may still be contagious and able to spread the virus, follow the VDH recommendations for the next 5 days. If your child does not have a health care provider, call your school nurse for information about community resources.
- Fever/chills/generalized body aches: Fever is considered 100 degrees or higher.
- Cough/shortness of breath: When not associated with previously diagnosed medical condition(s)
- Active vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Fatigue: When not associated with a previously diagnosed medical condition
- New loss of appetite and/or taste and smell
- Sore throat with at least one additional symptom
- Undiagnosed new skin rash
In addition, your student should stay home if he/she:
- has open or draining skin sores
- has inflamed or draining eyes or ears
If your child is well enough to attend school, but must have medication during the day, all school clinics are staffed with school nurses. All medication must be delivered directly to the school nurse or building administrator/designee by the parent/guardian or an adult designated by the parent or, in the case of a high school student, by the student, in its original, unopened package or container with the original pharmacy or packaging label. A high school student who delivers his or her own medication to the school nurse or building administrator/designee must do so immediately upon arrival on school grounds. If you are not familiar with the Williamsburg-James City County School medication policy, please contact the nurse at your child’s school nurse.
Please do not ask that your child be excused from movement class after an illness unless the request is accompanied by a physician’s note. If a modification in activity is needed for short time, contact the movement class teacher or classroom teacher.
Working together we can help prevent the spread of disease and limit the days of school missed due to illness.
