School Lice Policies

Head lice do not carry disease, and are not considered a public health threat. Cases of head lice do not need to be reported to the state or county health department.

In the Worcester area, as with many areas, school head lice policies are left up to the individual districts. Some districts have "no nit" policies, which prohibit children with lice eggs from returning to schools. Other schools have more lenient policies and allow children to return to school with nits, but not with live lice.

In some areas in the Tidewater region, school lice policies are becoming more lenient, while some still maintain “no nit” policies.