While worrying over COVID-19, school sees another illness pop up – WKBN.com

COLUMBIANA, Ohio (WKBN) In case COVID-19 wasnt enough for schools to worry about, now one local school is having to deal with another illness.

Its call hand, foot and mouth disease.

Crestview Schools have had an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease. Right now, about 13 students have gotten it.

A few students had the disease before the school year started.

We started with that, and later in the week, the first week of school, which was last week, we started to get some cases that were here, said Matthew Manley

Hand, foot and mouth disease is spread by a virus through sneezing, coughing and surfaces. Someone can show symptoms within 48 hours, which can be minor or severe, depending on the person.

Kids may start with some red spots on their feet and on their hands. They may actually have a fever a couple of days before you even see that, said Janet Leipheimer.

Spots can even form in or around the childs mouth that can be painful. If bad enough, the red spots can become blisters.

You can be contagious before you even know.

If the blisters are open, we ask that you stay home until they scab up, cover over, Leipheimer said.

If the childs symptoms are bad enough, they may be asked to stay home.

Commonly hand, foot and mouth disease is found in younger children, but this isnt the case here.

Its not blaming one party or another. Its just the reality of the situation. If we have something here, it might spread to the community or vice versa, Manley said.

Since hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection, some of the safety protocols weve learned since the start of the pandemic can help with this sickness.

Frequent hand washing, masking is a way to prevent it, Manley said. Were outside right now, and in the building, I would have my mask on.

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While worrying over COVID-19, school sees another illness pop up - WKBN.com