Back-to-School Germs: Four Illnesses Surge as Kids Return to Class

Back-to-school season is bringing a surge in four illnesses—gastrointestinal bugs, hand-foot-mouth disease, strep throat, and mono—according to a Northwestern Medicine pediatrician, with spread driven by close contact in classrooms; she emphasizes strict hygiene, changing older kids’ clothes after school, and keeping feverish children home, plus guidance on when it’s okay to return. The doctor also urges flu vaccination by Halloween, noting last season’s severe pediatric flu toll and that vaccines help reduce severity and illness even when not a perfect match.