COVID-19
Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases
COVID-19
Reportable to local or state health department
Consult the health department before posting/distributing Parent/Guardian fact sheet.
COVID-19 is an acute viral illness. It is highly contagious, but rarely serious for most children who are not at higher risk. It is a common infection that may be prevented by vaccination.
Note that SARS-CoV-2 mutates frequently. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 website for the most up-to-date information.
Cause
SARS-CoV-2 Virus, a respiratory virus that is a member of the coronavirus family.
Symptoms
Children may experience a variety of symptoms, including: fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headaches, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, nasal congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea. Asymptomatic infection is also possible (a child tests positive for COVID-19 but does not have any symptoms).
Children with underlying health conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. There is also some risk of children developing post-COVID conditions (“long COVID”), which includes a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems for four or more weeks after first being infected.
A small number of children may develop a rare and serious condition called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).
Spread
When an infected person coughs, sneezes, or breathes out tiny droplets with COVID-19 virus into the air, and another susceptible person breathes them in.
Asymptomatic cases (those with no symptoms) can also spread COVID-19 to others.
Incubation
It takes from 2 to 14 days (median, 5 days) from the time a person is exposed until symptoms begin (or until a positive test if asymptomatic).
Contagious Period
For symptomatic cases: From 2 days before to 10 days after symptoms developed.
For asymptomatic cases: From 2 days before to 10 days after the positive test was taken.
Exclusion
Child Care and School:
- Until symptoms are improving, and the child has been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine. After this time, the child may return, but it is encouraged to consider additional steps to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses for the next 5 days.
- If child never had symptoms but tested positive for COVID-19, they may be contagious. It is encouraged to take added precautions for the 5 days after the positive test.
Diagnosis
Tests are performed on nasopharyngeal (NP), oropharyngeal (OP) (throat), nasal, or saliva specimens. For more about testing, see CDC’s Testing for COVID-19 | COVID-19 | CDC.
Treatment
Recommended parents/guardians contact their health care provider. There is no specific treatment for COVID-19 in children with mild symptoms.
Prevention/Control
- Monitor/screen for symptoms; ill children/staff should stay home and seek testing.
- Stay up to date with recommended immunizations.
- Take precautions when you are sick to help stop the spread of respiratory viruses to others.
- Cover nose and mouth with tissue when coughing and sneezing, or cough/sneeze into your sleeve. Dispose of used tissues in the trash. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm running water after contact with secretions from the nose or mouth or handling used tissues. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Establish a regular schedule and checklist for cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces (workstations, keyboards, telephones, handrails, doorknobs, etc.), shared items, shared equipment, and high traffic areas.
- Ventilation is an important factor in preventing COVID-19 transmission indoors. Facility owners and operations should evaluate the operational capacity of ventilation systems and increase and maintain ventilation provided throughout the building.
- Consult your state and local health department if you have questions.
For more information, call the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) Bureau of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention at 573-751-6113 or 800-392-0272 (24/7), or call your local health department.
COVID-19 Parent Fact Sheet
Your child may have been exposed to:
COVID-19
COVID-19 is a highly contagious viral illness. It is a common infection that may be prevented by vaccination.
If you think your child has COVID-19:
- Tell your child care provider or call the school.
- Need to stay home?
Child Care and School:
Yes, until symptoms are improving, and your child has been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.
After this time, your child may return, but consider added precautions for 5 days after return.
Symptoms
Your child may have a fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, headache, vomiting/diarrhea, or a new loss of taste or smell. Your child may also be infected and have no symptoms (asymptomatic).
If your child has been infected, it may take 2 to 14 days for symptoms to start.
Spread
- By close contact with someone who is infected.
- By breathing, coughing, and sneezing.
Cases with no symptoms can still spread COVID-19 to others.
Contagious Period
If your child has symptoms: from 2 days before to 10 days after the symptoms started.
If your child never had any symptoms but tested positive: from 2 days before to 10 days after the positive test was taken.
Call your Healthcare Provider
If anyone in your home:
- Has any COVID-19 symptoms, consider testing at home or through a provider.
Prevention
- The primary ways to prevent a COVID-19 infection are:
- Cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing by using a tissue or your sleeve. Dispose of tissues in the trash.
- Wash hands after touching anything that could come in contact with secretions from the nose or mouth. Your child may need help with handwashing.
- Clean and disinfect any objects or surfaces that could come in contact with secretions from the nose or mouth.
- Stay up to date with recommended immunizations.
- Monitor your child for COVID-19 symptoms. If your child is showing symptoms of COVID-19, stay home and consider testing.
For more information, call the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) Bureau of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention at 573-751-6113 or 800-392-0272 (24/7), or call your local health department.