Managing Communicable Diseases in Schools: https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/mdhhs/Folder2/Folder88/Folder1/Folder188/Managing_CD_in_Schools_FINAL.pdf?rev=1f118048eb684d32a5254c15e2d4ac85#:~:text=Schools%20must%20report%20to%20their,condition%2C%20amongst%20those%20in%20attendance.

Updates from Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on when to keep students home from school 9/2024

Many illnesses do not require exclusion. However, children may be excluded if the illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in school activities or if there is risk of spread of harmful disease to others. These criteria also apply to when staff should be excluded. 

Criteria include:

• Severely ill – lethargic, difficulty breathing, or rapidly spreading rash

• Fever 101F or greater AND behavior change or other signs of illness

  • Staff can use their best judgement if the child does not have a fever of 101F or greater, but still appears significantly ill with symptoms such as glassy eyes and lethargy

  • The child should not return until there is no fever for 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing medications

• Diarrhea – 2 or more loose watery stools

  • The child should have no loose stools for 24 hours prior to returning to school unless health care provider determines it’s not infectious.

• Vomiting – vomited 2 or more times

  • The child should have no vomiting episodes for 24 hours prior to returning unless health care provider has determined the vomiting is not due to an infectious condition.

• Abdominal pain – abdominal pain that continues for more than 2 hours or intermittent pain associated with fever or other symptoms

• Rash – rash AND a fever or change in behavior

• Respiratory symptoms - Worsening or not improving, and not explained by another cause (e.g., allergies)

• Skin Sore – weeping sores on an exposed area that cannot be covered with a waterproof dressing

• Communicable Diseases – chart for exclusion/return included in guideline

• When NOT to exclude a student from school – examples on Pg 15 of guideline linked above