A growing number of schools are relaxing their restrictions and opening their doors to children with coughs, sore throats and other symptoms.
This is a stark difference from strict guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, when parents were advised to keep students home at the same times. any signs of illness.
California is one of the states that has relaxed its restrictions, as outlined on the state health department website.
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Students can attend school or daycare even if they have a cough and cold symptomsincluding a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, congestion, or body aches, with the exception of those who also have a fever, uncontrolled coughing fits, or difficulty breathing.
Children who have a headache or stiffness and pain in the neck can also attend school without having a concussion or infection, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
A growing number of schools are relaxing restrictions and opening their doors to children with coughs, sore throats and other symptoms. (iStock)
The Golden State also allows children to go to school with conjunctivitis, as long as they do not have vision problems, pain or injuries.
Stomach pain is also okay, unless it is due to an injury, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever.
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In some cases, students may even attend with earache, diarrhea or wheezing, depending on health department guidelines.
California has also updated recommendations for people who test positive for COVID-19, the CDPH said in an email to Fox News Digital.
Although those who test positive are still advised to monitor symptoms and stay home if they have a fever and feel sick, the days of mandatory quarantines appear to be over.
The state of California has relaxed its restrictions, as outlined on the state health department's website, and has opened its school doors to children with coughs, sore throats and other symptoms. (iStock)
“Instead of staying home for a minimum of five days, people can return to work or school when they start to feel better, meaning their symptoms are mild and improving, and they have been fever-free for a full day ( 24 hours) without the use of fever-reducing medications,” the CDPH told Fox News Digital.
The department still recommends 10 days of mask wearing for students who test positive for COVID or respiratory symptoms.
“Instead of staying home for a minimum of five days, people can return to work or school when they start to feel better.”
The state has also relaxed its guidelines on COVID testing.
“People who have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 and do not have symptoms of COVID-19 are only recommended to get tested if they are at increased risk of severe illness and would benefit from treatment OR if they have contact with people who are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection,” the agency said.
“The reason for these changes is that we are now in a different time with reduced impacts of COVID-19 compared to previous years due to widespread immunity to vaccination and/or natural infection, and readily available treatments for infected people.” , the CDPH added.
A child who has a fever along with another symptom or sign of illness should not attend school or child care, according to the CDPH. (iStock)
The city of Boston, Massachusetts, has also relaxed its stay-at-home restrictions for sick children.
On the Boston Public Schools website, the district states that students can attend with “common” respiratory infections.
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“If the child does not have a fever, does not appear to have decreased activity or other symptoms, he or she does not need to be kept home,” the guidance says.
Students can also attend if they have vomited once in the last 24 hours, but vomiting two or more times is reason to stay home, the district stated.
Recommendations from public health agencies
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is still following stricter guidelines, stating that people with symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, such as cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea, should stay home.
The CDC also recommends that anyone who experiences symptoms of COVID-19 get tested for the virus immediately.
The AAP states that children should stay home from school if they have had a fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit in the last 24 hours, if they have had episodes of vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours, or if they are not feeling well. . enough to participate in class. (iStock)
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states on its website that children should stay home from school if they have had a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit in the last 24 hours, if they have had episodes of vomiting or diarrhea in last. 24 hours, or if they are not well enough to participate in class.
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“If your child has been sick and is feeling better, but still wakes up with minor problems like a runny nose or a slight headache… you can send him or her to school if none of the three circumstances listed above apply,” he said. the AAP.
The AAP warned of the dangers of “chronic absenteeism,” including lower literacy levels in younger children and a higher risk of failing, being suspended or dropping out of school among older students. (iStock)
The AAP also warned of the dangers of “chronic absenteeism,” including lower literacy levels in younger children and a higher risk of failing, being suspended or dropping out of school among older students.
“Chronic absenteeism is also related to adolescent substance useas well as poor health in adulthood,” the organization added.
Physicians' input on school policies
Dr. Shana Johnson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician in Scottsdale, Arizona, said looser school policies reflect “a better balance” between disease prevention and the impact of absences.
“Sick policies in schools have evolved to reflect the transition from a COVID crisis public health “The COVID emergency is endemic or always present in our communities,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Current policies better balance limiting the spread of disease with the harms of excessive absences.”
“Current policies better balance limiting the spread of disease with the harms of excessive absences, including harm to children's education, social development and mental health,” he added.
The “hardline” COVID policies enacted in many states resulted in “tremendous harm” to children, Johnson said, including substantial learning loss, arrested social development and an increase in mental health crisis.
“Now, four years after COVID emerged, we understand the virus better and have vaccines and treatments that reduce the severity of the disease it causes,” he said.
The state of California still recommends 10 days of mask wearing for students who test positive for COVID or have respiratory symptoms. (iStock)
“In addition, a large portion of the population has been exposed to COVID and has a level of protective immunity,” the doctor added. “All of the above reduce the risk of damage from the virus.”
According to Johnson, unhealthy policies in schools now more closely reflect those that existed before the pandemic.
“Before the pandemic, children went to school with a mild cold; they stayed home with moderate or severe symptoms such as fever and excessive cough,” he said.
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“Some children have consecutive colds for six months of the year, especially the youngest ones,” the doctor continued. “Hardline policies would keep these kids out of school for half the year.”
He added: “For a virus that causes mild symptoms in children, missing half the year is unreasonable.”
Dr. Marc Siegel, a clinical professor of medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, said children with infectious-type symptoms, especially frequent upper respiratory symptoms, should not attend to school. (FoxNews)
Dr. Marc Siegel, a clinical professor of medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, said children with infectious type symptomsespecially frequent upper respiratory symptoms, should not attend school at all.
“An occasional cough or sneeze or a confirmed allergy is one thing, but a sore throat, cough, body aches or congestion are consistent with an ongoing contagion that spreads easily at school,” he warned.
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“Not only that, but there is the matter of the child recovering and regaining all his strength.”
During what Siegel described as a particularly serious flu, RSV and COVID season, he stressed the importance of “doing everything we can to not spread these viruses at school.”
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