How long is conjunctivitis contagious?

[Niecie]

DS1 is off today with conjunctivitis and the school don't want him back until he has seen a doctor and he isn't contagious any more.

So how long is that then? We have a doctors appointment for this afternoon but I was just wondering if anybody knew.

It's usually 48hrs after they've started taking the antibiotic eye drops. So he should be ok to go back on monday.

Thank you.

The GP cleared him to go back tomorrow. She said that the chances of spreading it between 7 yos are slim. They don't tend to touch each other's faces and they don't share towels and wipes the same way small children at a nursery might do so there isn't much chance of spreading it around. Funny thing, in my experience schools are very quick to stop children going in with conjunctivitis and doctors are always very sceptical about the school's concerns. I don't know what to think!

I will probably keep him off one more day to make sure he gets all 4 doses of eye drops tomorrow (won't be able to fit them in around school) and also because he has a cold too so he is not at his best and he looks a bit off putting with a red eye and a red nose!