Ready or not, back-to-school season is here, and kids will be bringing home more than homework. They’ll be carrying germs, too.
These viruses and bacteria will be agents that cause the common cold, influenza, norovirus, COVID-19, strep throat and more. There’s a reason why boxes of tissues and sanitizing wipes show up on most school supply lists.
Here are some ways to minimize illness transmission from school to home.
COVID-19 cases likely to rise
In what health care providers call the summer wave, COVID-19 infections have been increasing throughout the summer of 2024. As of July 30, 2024, the number of COVID-19 infections has grown or is likely to grow in 35 states and territories.
These highly contagious COVID-19 strains, combined with the relaxed isolation guidelines that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released in March 2024, are likely to increase classroom disease transmission this coming school year. These updated CDC guidelines apply to all respiratory viruses, not just COVID-19.
The new guidelines recommend that everyone stay home when they are sick but also suggest that a person can return to normal activities once symptoms are improving and the person is fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. While it is too early to know the transmission impact of these guidelines, they may lead to more people coming out of isolation while still infectious.
Ready or not, back-to-school season is here, and kids will be bringing home more than homework. They’ll be carrying germs, too.
These viruses and bacteria will be agents that cause the common cold, influenza, norovirus, COVID-19, strep throat and more. There’s a reason why boxes of tissues and sanitizing wipes show up on most school supply lists.
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