It’s become like clockwork over recent years; summer draws to a close, the stores hold back-to-school deals, and COVID-19 numbers go up.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that the virus is on the upswing around the country.

“We’ve seen these summer increases every summer that COVID-19 has been with us,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a Johns Hopkins University infectious disease physician, to The Associated Press. “What’s different about these cases this summer vs. prior summers is that they don’t translate into hospitals in crisis.”

Adalja said factors in the seasonal increase could be increased travel, people staying indoors to avoid summer heat and the virus’ continued evolution — which could help it get around people’s immunity.

Testing for COVID-19 is sporadic and the true number of cases isn’t clear because many infections aren’t reported. But one way to spot trends is to see what percentage of lab tests come back positive. By that metric, COVID-19 is surging, with nearly 15% of tests coming back positive vs. less than 1% for flu.

Naturally, this will leave some parents wondering when they should keep their kids home from school if they are showing signs or symptoms of illness, especially considering a recent trend: school absences surged during the pandemic and have yet to recover. Nearly 1 in 4 students remains chronically absent, defined as missing 10% or more of the academic year, according to the latest data analyzed by AP.

One reason for continued high absences: After years of COVID-19 quarantines, parents are more cautious about sending children to school when they might be contagious with an illness.

When a child misses school, even for an excused absence like a sick day, it’s harder for them to stay on track academically. So schools and health experts are trying to change the culture around sick days.

Parents should check the COVID-19 guidelines that are specific to their school, but also remember hat they experts say — if a child has a fever, they should stay home, no matter the illness. A child can return to school when their fever has been gone for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. Other symptoms should be improving.

What about other symptoms?

If a child doesn’t have a fever, it’s OK to send them to class with some signs of illness, including a runny nose, headache or cough, according to schools and the American Academy of Pediatrics. If those symptoms aren’t improving or are severe, such as a hacking cough, call your child’s doctor.

The guidance around vomiting and diarrhea varies across school districts. Generally, students should remain home until symptoms stop, according to American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines. Older children may be able to manage mild diarrhea at school.

“Unless your student has a fever or threw up in the last 24 hours, you are coming to school. That’s what we want,” said Abigail Arii, director of student support services in Oakland, California.

The CDC also says people should take additional precautions for five days after returning to school or other normal activities.

Masks and social distancing are no longer mandated but are encouraged to prevent disease spread. Experts also recommend plenty of handwashing and taking steps for cleaner air, such as opening a window or running an air purifier.

School districts say parents should keep up-to-date on all health examinations and immunizations for students so they don’t miss additional days of school.

It seems as though parents are now permanently residing on that proverbial slippery slope; you don’t want your kid to get other kids sick, but you also don’t want them to fall behind in their classes. Hopefully, these guidelines will help parents be better informed on what to do if an illness makes its way into the household.