Good morning everyone. I thought I would give a little information on the virus that is going around that is presenting in many students in the school right now.
Many students are coming to school with bright red cheeks, or what looks like a rash on their cheeks. The rash is also seen on the body. It may be itchy, or it may not bother the student at all.
I recently spoke with the Pediatric physicians at the Jackson County Medical Clinic and confirmed that they are also seeing a virus that is commonly known as Fifth's Disease.
It is a parvovirus B19 that will result in the rash that is called Fifth's disease. After speaking to the physicians at the clinic, it was discussed that the students are able to attend school. If the student has a fever they will need to be sent home, and be fever free for 24 hours without medication in order to return to school.
The students are said to not be contagious once they hit the point where they developed the red cheeks and rash on their body.
I am going to paste information below that is directly from the CDC website. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me here in the nurse's office.
CDC WEBSITE INFORMATION:
Symptoms
Some people who get infected with this virus will have no symptoms.
When symptoms of parvovirus B19 infection occur, they are usually mild and may include the following:
Fever
Headache
Cough
Sore throat
Rashes
Joint pain
Rashes
The clinical presentation most often associated with parvovirus B19 infection is a red rash on the face, also called a "slapped cheek" rash. This is also known as Fifth Disease (or Erythema Infectiosum). This rash typically appears a few days after the fever or flu-like symptoms. It is more common in children than adults.
Parvovirus B19 infection can also cause a general rash on the chest, back, buttocks, or arms and legs. The rash may be itchy. It usually goes away in 7 to 10 days but can come and go for several weeks. As it starts to go away, it may look lacy.
The link to the CDC website is below if you would like to read more about the virus.
About Parvovirus B19 | Parvovirus B19 and Fifth Disease | CDC