Lassiter Chickenpox Outbreak

In a statement Monday, Principal Dr. Chris Richie announced that a student at has been diagnosed with chickenpox.

Chickenpox is contagious and may spread rapidly. Those with weakened immune systems (cancer patients, for example), those un-immunized and under-immunized or those pregnant should contact their health care provider. Those un-immunized and under-immunized are encouraged to receive the varicella vaccine and follow the recommendations of their healthcare provider.

A virus (varicella zoster virus) causes chickenpox and it presents with a mild fever, tiredness, and skin eruptions (lesions). This virus is the same virus that causes shingles.

Chickenpox is spread from person to person by direct contact.  It takes 13 to 17 days to show symptoms of chickenpox after exposure to an infected person.  Chickenpox can spread before the first lesions appear.  A person is not usually contagious once all the lesions are crusted over, and students are allowed to return to school when every lesion is crusted, normally about 5-7 days.

Aspirin or medicines containing aspirin or salicylates may cause a very serious illness called Reyes Syndrome and should not been given to children with fever.  Please contact your health care provider or the school nurse Audrey Dinoff at Audrey.Dinoff@Cobbk12.org or by telephone at 678 494 7865 x 275.