CDC: back to school when symptoms are improving and they have been fever-free 24 hours without fever medication, then 5 days of added precautions like masking and handwashing.
The fixed 5-day isolation era is over; the rule is symptom-based, and it applies to COVID the same as flu and RSV. The overrides: school districts set their own policies, so check yours before sending them in, and the fever-free clock must be medication-free, since a Tylenol-normalized temperature does not count. Day-of-return practicalities: a well-fitted mask for the 5-day window if they will keep it on, their own water bottle, no shared snacks, and a heads-up to the school nurse. Rebound symptoms mean back home and restart. High-risk contacts change the math: a household grandparent or an immunocompromised classmate argues for extending precautions and using rapid tests, two negatives 48 hours apart, before unmasked close contact.
What to do
Common questions
When can my kid go back to school after COVID?
The current CDC guidance is symptom-based, no more fixed 5-day isolation: your child can return to school when, for at least 24 hours, their symptoms are improving overall AND they have been fever-free without fever-reducing medicine. After returning, take added precautions for the next 5 days: a well-fitted mask if they will wear one, extra handwashing, and distance where practical. Two overrides. First, your school district's policy may be stricter or more specific, and schools can set their own rules, so check the district's current guidance before sending them in. Second, the fever-free clock only counts without medication: a normal temperature on acetaminophen does not qualify. Practical kid details: send them with their own water bottle and sanitizer, remind them not to share drinks or food, and tell the school nurse if they are still early in recovery. If symptoms rebound after returning, keep them home again and restart the clock. And if your child has a weakened immune system or close contact with someone high-risk (a grandparent they live with, an immunocompromised classmate), extend the precautions and consider a couple of negative rapid tests 48 hours apart before unmasked close contact.