Chickenpox Alert 

Important Notice to Parents

August 26, 2024

Your child may have been exposed to chickenpox (varicella) at PeakView Elementary.

If your child has chickenpox, they need to stay home from childcare or school until the rash has scabbed or dried. Please notify your school or childcare if your child has chickenpox. 

Chickenpox causes a rash of itchy, blister-like bumps all over the body. Sometimes, there is a fever before the rash. A person can be sick for 5 to 10 days with rash. Chickenpox can easily spread from person to person through the air by coughing and sneezing or by touching the fluid from a chickenpox bump. It usually takes 14 to 16 days for chickenpox symptoms to show after being around someone with chickenpox, but symptoms may appear 10 to 21 days after exposure. 

If your child received the chickenpox vaccine, they are less likely to get chickenpox. If they do get sick, the rash is less severe (sometimes only a few red bumps that look like bug bites) and there may be no fever. 

Chickenpox is usually not serious; however, it may cause severe illness in some people such as infants, pregnant women who never had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine, people who have weakened immune systems because of illness or medications, and people with chronic skin or lung disorders. Contact your health care provider if you have questions or concerns about your child's risk of severe chickenpox disease. 

If your child never had chickenpox before and did not receive 2 doses of chickenpox vaccine, we recommend you contact your child's health care provider as soon as possible. If your child does not have a health care provider, please contact your local health department about vaccine. Chickenpox vaccine (also known as varicella vaccine) given 3 to 5 days since being around someone with chickenpox may prevent chickenpox or reduce the severity of disease. Your child may be excluded from school if there is an outbreak if they are not immune to chickenpox. 

Chickenpox (Varicella) Vaccine Recommendations: 

Children 12 months old or older who never had chickenpox need 2 doses of chickenpox vaccine. The 1st dose is usually given around 12-15 months old and the 2nd dose is given at 4 to 6 years old. Chickenpox vaccine is required for children to attend school or childcare in Colorado or an exemption to vaccine is required. Adults who are not immune to chickenpox should consider receiving varicella vaccine. 

Please call Nurse Laurie with Huerfano SD Re-1 at 719-738-2190 if you have any questions.

Huerfano Re-1 Registration Information

Peakview School: July 30, 31

9:00AM-11:00AM and 1:00PM-3:00PM

Walsenburg Jr. Sr. High School: July 29 through August 1

undefined8:00AM-12:00PM and 1:00PM-3:00PM

Other info:

1. Back to School Night (Peakview and WJSH) Monday, August 12, 5:00-7:00

2. There will be no in-town bus run this year.

3. The Superintendent's office will be located at WJSH this year.