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16 September 2024

COVID is spreading as students head back to school. Here’s what parents need to know.

Jacqueline Miller, MD
SVP, Infectious Disease Development
COVID is spreading as students head back to school. Here’s what parents need to know.

As children across the U.S. return to school, the country is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases. This peak in SARS-CoV-2 transmission is causing an increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations, particularly in adults over 65, followed by adults 50 to 64 years of age and young children up to 4 years of age¹. Why does this impact school-age children? Because the start of the school year is a time of coming together with new teachers, old friends, and, unfortunately, unwelcome infections. And those infections can be spread to the family members our children love. It's crucial to take steps to protect your kids from COVID-19 so they can start the year healthy.

Here are some tips to keep kids safe this back-to-school season:

  1. Vaccinate your child with the updated COVID vaccine: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the updated COVID-19 vaccine for everyone aged 6 months and older. If your child recently had a COVID-19 infection, the CDC recommends waiting three months from their symptom onset or positive test to get the updated vaccine.¹

  2. Practice good hygiene: Simple practices like washing hands frequently, cleaning commonly touched surfaces, and covering your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing can go a long way in preventing the spread of COVID-19.²

  3. If your child feels sick: Take precautions to stop the spread of germs. This includes:

    • Staying home and away from others, even those in your household

    • Wearing a mask

    • Increasing hygiene practices, like frequent handwashing

    • Seeking testing and treatment promptly.³ Common COVID-19 symptoms may include a sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, or muscle aches and pains.⁴

  4. When to return to school: If your child tests positive for COVID-19, the CDC recommends they stay home and isolate themselves from others until 24 hours after their symptoms improve and they are fever-free.⁵ After this isolation period, the CDC suggests additional precautions for the next five days, such as wearing a well-fitting mask, maintaining distance from others, and taking steps to improve air ventilation to prevent further spread.⁶

It's important to protect children from COVID-19, as children are at risk of long-term consequences from infections, like Long COVID. Research indicates that about 1 in 4 children/adolescents with documented COVID-19 experience persistent symptoms for 4-12 weeks post-infection.⁷ It’s also important because children can pass their infections to close contacts, such as family members and friends, some of whom may be at increased risk for the severe complications of COVID-19.

Experts continue to learn about the patterns of COVID-19 throughout the year. Talk to your child's healthcare provider to learn more about ways to keep your family safe this back-to-school season.


¹https://www.cdc.gov/covid/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html
²https://www.cdc.gov/covid/prevention/index.html
³Ibid.
⁴https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/precautions-when-sick.html
⁵Ibid.
⁶Ibid.
⁷https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1684118222001864

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