Is your child sick with symptom(s) of COVID-19*?
If the answer is YES:
- Are the symptoms new or unusual for child?
- Keep child home and call your health care provider. Notify the school.
- Are the symptoms usual for the child (e.g., allergies, migraines, asthma) or caused by a known diagnosis (e.g., ear infection, strep throat)
- Seek care as usual practice. If fever present, stay home until at least 24 hours fever-free without fever reducing medicine.
If the answer is NO:
- Has the child had close contact** with someone with COVID-19?
- NO
- Send the child to school.
- YES
- Test for COVID-19 and isolate/quarantine at home.
*Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever (≥100.4◦F) or chills, fatigue (more tired than usual), headache, muscle aches, cough, nasal congestion or runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, new onset poor appetite or poor feeding.
**Close contact means being within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more or direct exposure to respiratory secretions.
Adapted from Virginia Department of Health and American Association of Pediatrics Guidance, August 2020