Norovirus, enterovirus, and HFMD are all active in schools this fall. Vira monitors outbreak activity near your child's school and alerts you before the nurse's note comes home.
As of fall 2026, the three most common school-age outbreaks are norovirus (stomach bug), enterovirus D68, and hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). All three spread easily in classroom settings through shared surfaces, close contact, and inadequate handwashing.
Key symptom
Sudden vomiting and watery diarrhea, often with stomach cramps. Onset within 12-48 hours of exposure.
How it spreads in schools
Contaminated surfaces, shared food, and contact with vomit particles. One sick child touching a desk can infect a full classroom.
Contagious window
From onset through 48-72 hours after symptoms stop. Can shed virus for up to 2 weeks.
Key symptom
Runny nose, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Can trigger asthma flares. Rare cases cause neurologic illness.
How it spreads in schools
Respiratory droplets and direct contact. Peaks in late summer and fall when school resumes.
Contagious window
Most contagious in the first week of illness. Children with asthma face higher risk of severe symptoms.
Key symptom
Fever, painful mouth sores, and a blister rash on the hands, feet, and sometimes buttocks. Common in children under 5.
How it spreads in schools
Contact with saliva, blister fluid, or stool. Highly contagious in daycares and kindergarten classrooms.
Contagious window
Until blisters fully crust over, typically 7-10 days. Children can spread HFMD before symptoms appear.
Most parents find out 3-5 days after an outbreak starts -- from other parents, not from the school. By then, exposure has already happened.
Schools notify late
Schools typically send notification letters when an outbreak has already peaked. By the time the letter goes home, most exposures have occurred.
CDC data is national
The CDC tracks outbreaks at the national and state level. They do not monitor what is active in a specific zip code or school district this week.
Pediatricians don't track spread
Your child's doctor can diagnose what your child has. They do not have real-time visibility into what is circulating in nearby schools.
Vira monitors outbreak reports near specific zip codes, alerts you when activity rises, and answers questions about what is going around right now. Text her your child's school name or zip code and she checks the current signal.
Example conversation
Example conversation
The standard rule: keep kids home until they are fever-free for 24 hours without medication, and symptom-free for 48 hours after vomiting or diarrhea stops. Illness-specific guidelines vary and matter.
Illness
Return-to-school rule
Notes
Norovirus
48 hours after last vomiting or diarrhea
Contagious for up to 2 weeks after recovery
HFMD
Fever-free 24h and all blisters crusted
Many schools require pediatrician note
Enterovirus / Cold
Fever-free for 24 hours without medication
Child must feel well enough to participate
Strep throat
24 hours after starting antibiotics + fever-free
Untreated strep remains contagious indefinitely
Vira can tell you what is specifically active in your area so you know whether to be extra cautious. If norovirus reports are elevated near your school, erring on the side of the full 48-hour window protects the whole classroom.
Text Vira your child's school area. She checks what's active and alerts you when it rises.
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