When you should stay home from work or school if you are sick

IYou wake up with a stuffy nose, some fatigue, maybe a headache. You’re not dying, but you’re clearly not feeling well either. So how do you know when to stay home from work? (Or if all this is happening to your kid, how do you know when to pick them up from school?)

It’s worth emphasizing that “it’s crucial to take a sick day when you need to,” says Joel “Gator” Warsh, MD, a board-certified pediatrician and founder of Integrative Pediatrics and Medicine Studio City in Los Angeles. It gives you or your child time to rest and get better while reducing the spread of germs to others in your community. “Plus, prioritizing sick days fosters a culture that values ​​self-care and attention to the health of others, which underscores the importance of putting wellness first,” he says.

Sounds great! But of course, there are real pressures and expectations to consider (not to mention the guilt over sick days). So, here’s exactly what you need to know about when to give yourself or your child a break.

When you have to stay home from work

Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated recommendations about when to stay home if you’re sick with infections like the common cold, flu, RSV, and COVID-19. The standard course of action now is to simply stay home if you have symptoms of a possible respiratory virus, including:

• Chest pain
• shivers
• Coughing
• Decreased appetite
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches
• New loss of taste or smell
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sneezing
• A sore throat
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Wheezing

You can return to work if your symptoms have improved for 24 hours and you no longer have a fever, the CDC says.

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If you absolutely need to go to work, “you should stay away from others as much as possible and wash your hands frequently to avoid spreading germs,” ​​says Robert Biernbaum, DO, chief medical officer at WellNow Urgent Care. And definitely draw the line at fever or flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, body aches or chills, he adds. “A fever is the biggest indicator that you have an infection and that you should stay home.”

But honestly? It’s best not to push yourself. “It can be tempting to push through when you’re not feeling well, but it’s always important to make sure you’re not putting anyone else at risk and that you’re giving your body enough time to rest and recover,” says Dr. Biernbaum.

When to call in sick if you work remotely

There can definitely be some confusion about sick days when you work from home, since you don’t have to worry about spreading germs and you can essentially stay in bed if you need to. That said, your own well-being still matters here, so don’t ignore it.

“The most important thing is to listen to your body and not push yourself too hard. If your symptoms are interfering with your ability to concentrate or participate in virtual meetings, or if you feel mentally or physically exhausted, that’s an indication that you should end your day to get some rest and stay hydrated,” Dr. Biernbaum says.

When you have to keep your kids home from school

The CDC’s list of stay-at-home symptoms applies to both children and adults. In general, you should give your child a sick day if he or she shows signs of a possible respiratory virus, including:

• Chest pain
• shivers
• Coughing
• Decreased appetite
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches
• New loss of taste or smell
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sneezing
• A sore throat
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Wheezing

It’s also a good idea to check with your child’s school to see if they have specific procedures or guidelines about when and how long to keep your child home if he or she is not feeling well.

As for when your child or teenager say They’re sick and need to stay home, but you think they might be faking it? “Kids may exaggerate their symptoms to get out of school, but there are ways to tell if they really need time off: Look for consistent symptoms,” Dr. Warsh says.

In other words, check to see if their symptoms match their actions. If they say they have a sore throat or a stomach ache, but they are still eating and playing normally, they are probably not really sick.

That’s not to say nothing is going on. Chances are your child is feeling anxious or stressed about something, says Dr. Warsh. Take it as a sign to invite them to talk about what’s going on in their minds and brainstorm ways to cope other than staying home.

When should you see a doctor?

Have a mild cough or cold? You can probably manage at home and be back on your feet in a few days. But call your doctor if it gets worse, the Mayo Clinic advises. Think: a fever above 101°F that doesn’t go away after three days, a fever that goes away and then comes back, shortness of breath, wheezing, or a severe headache or sinus pain.

The threshold is a little different for children. Call the pediatrician if your child has a fever for more than two days or if they have a severe cough, wheezing or difficulty breathing, have an earache, are unusually restless or tired, or don’t feel like eating. You should also seek immediate medical attention for babies 12 weeks and younger who have a fever of 100.4°F or higher, the Mayo Clinic advises.