Parents warned to keep sick children home after virus spreads in St. Johns County schools

Officials are warning parents about a contagious virus after an increase in sick students at several St. Johns County schools.

A letter was sent to parents after the school district noticed an increase in children experiencing symptoms consistent with norovirus at Liberty Pines Academy, Patriot Oaks Academy, Switzerland Point Middle School and Cunningham Creek Elementary School.

The school district said there is no treatment or vaccine for norovirus.

Because of how easily the virus spreads, officials are asking parents to keep their children home for at least 24 hours after symptoms have stopped.

Norovirus Symptoms:

• Sudden onset of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping.
• Some students have had a low-grade fever.
• The symptoms of norovirus illness usually begin about 12-48 hours after exposure to the virus.

How It Spreads:

• Direct contact with another infected person (for example, when caring for someone with illness, or sharing food with someone who is ill)
• Touching a surface or object (such as toys, bathroom faucet, etc.), contaminated with norovirus and then putting your hands in your mouth
• Eating food or drinking liquids contaminated with norovirus

School officials suggested these steps for slowing the spread of the illness:

• Help your child learn to wash his or her hands properly with soap and water
• Wash your hands and your child's hands frequently, especially after using the bathroom or changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food or touching your mouth
• Don't share food or drinks with other people, especially when you're sick or they're sick
• Don't prepare food for others if you have vomiting or diarrhea
• Immediately flush vomit or diarrhea, or dispose of it in a trash can
• Clean and disinfect the areas where someone vomits or has diarrhea
• Immediately remove and machine wash and dry any clothing or linens soiled by vomit or diarrhea

School officials are reminding parents to tell children to drink plenty of liquids, which replaces fluid lost from throwing up or diarrhea and prevents dehydration.

Melissa Petty, director of health services at the St. Johns County School District, sent Action News Jax a statement:

All of these schools have increased the custodial cleaning responsibilities to be more proactive in preventive disinfecting of common surface areas. Teachers are allowing students more time for hand washing and IT is guiding us on efficient methods to clean computer equipment used by many students in computer labs."

Cox Media Group