Impetigo - how long off school?

[aliphil]

DD (5) was diagnosed with impetigo today and prescribed antibiotic cream. The GP said she was OK to go into school, but the NHS website says not. Does anyone know which is right? And if I do need to keep her off, how long for?

It's highly contagious so definitely off school tomorrow and then see how it looks Monday morning after 3 days of creaming it.
5 year olds will be touching it without thinking then holding hands with friends and touching door handles etc and it will spread.
I do sympathise as I had it as a child and DD too.

Nhs says:

It stops being contagious:

• 48 hours after you start using the medicine your GP prescribed
• when the patches dry out and crust over – if you don't get treatment

Where is it as I thought it was face but reread OP and you hadn't said. I had it on my face as a child and DD on back of top of her leg.

I'd ask the school and see what they prefer. IMHO it depends where the wound is.

DD has it on one eyelid, so I can't even cover it up! DH doesn't see the point of keeping her off as she's been in school all week so will have been spreading the infection anyway.

What about other things? We're supposed to be going to a wedding on Saturday and church on Sunday; do I need to keep her away from those as well?

Definitely no school tomorrow, and you should also not take your DD to the wedding either. Impetigo is massively contagious, and also tends to be very itchy too, which is why it's so easily spread to other people.

Regardless of whether your DD may have already infected other children before you knew what it was, it's really vile behaviour knowingly take a contagious child anywhere.

I have to go to the wedding, as I'm singing, so DD will have to have Daddy-time on Saturday. At least they'll have the royal wedding to watch!