Cold & Flu

Students exhibiting cold, flu, or gastrointestinal symptoms should follow the return to school requirements listed on the COVID-19 microsite at covid.ecfs.org. 

If your child has tested negative for COVID-19, is experiencing an exacerbation of a previously diagnosed medical condition, is experiencing a laboratory-confirmed acute illness other than COVID-19, or has been seen by the school nurse and determined not to need follow-up testing for COVID-19, please follow the return to school requirements as determined by your child's primary care physician. 

At a minimum, regardless of COVID-19, students will always need to remain home for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication following a fever of greater than 100 degrees by mouth or vomiting. 

Even if you meet one of the COVID-19 exemptions listed above, we recommend keeping your child home for rest and observation following any cold or flu-like symptoms. 

Please report any positive flu tests, strep tests, or acute illnesses to your divisional nurse. Additional information on the flu is available here. 

What over-the-counter medications are available at ECFS?

Students may receive cough drops, antibiotic ointment, antacid (Tums), ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), Diphenhydramine HCL (Benadryl), hydrocortisone cream, pramoxine HCL (Caladryl Lotion), or sunscreen. 

OCT medications may only be provided with written authorization from both the child's parent/guardian and physician. This is New York State law, not an ECFS decision.