At least three students are confirmed to have chickenpox after an outbreak at The Classical Academy’s central campus, according to KOAA.

A spokesperson said that the students are in first, second and fourth grade, with the first case confirmed on Friday. The campus has about 600 students, ranging from kindergarten through sixth grade.

In an email sent to parents of central campus Monday, the academy said that students with chickenpox need to stay home from school until their rash has scabbed or dried.

“TCA takes safety and health of students very seriously. We made the call with the health department as soon as we found out,” said TCA spokesperson Tisha Harris, via KOAA.

School officials said they are working with the El Paso County Public Health Department for safety guidance. The department considers an outbreak at three or more cases, KOAA said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chickenpox is very contagious, and usually lasts from four to seven days. Up to 90 percent of people who are not immune and who are in close contact with an infected person will also get infected. 

Chickenpox symptoms can be eased by taking a bath and using lotion and baking soda, the CDC says. Additionally, those infected should try their best not to scratch their hives, as doing so could further spread the virus or cause skin infections.