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 MOUNT ST THOMAS PUBLIC SCHOOL

Reviewed July, 2005

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES POLICY STATEMENT

RATIONALE:

Mount St Thomas Public School fully accepts and implements the Department of Health Regulations concerning Communicable Diseases and Immunisation.

OUTCOMES:

To ensure children attain maximum educational outcomes by maintaining the highest levels of health and lowest possible contact/infection with communicable disease.

In the event of a “communicable disease” outbreak, minimise the opportunity for non-immunised students to be infected and therefore the risks of long term negative side effects.

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GUIDELINES:

Encourage all parents enrolling kindergarten children at school to have them fully immunised.  Fully explain to these parents the “exclusion and implications” for their children should a communicable disease outbreak occur (according to legislated Department of Health regulations).

School to have all student immunisation information updated and pro-forma letters ready for immediate distribution should notification of an outbreak be received.

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IMPLEMENTATION:

Should the school receive notification of an outbreak of a communicable disease ie measles, diphtheria etc (see chart), then:

  1. Department of Health needs to be notified and consulted.

  2. Confirmation with diagnosing family Doctor (by Dept. of Health).

  3. District Super informed.

  4. Printout of all non-immunised students for this particular disease obtained from  OASIS.

  5. Pro-forma “exclusion” letter distributed to each of the parents.

  6. General explanation letter sent to families of all the students.

  7. Students excluded will be welcomed back to school:

    if they receive immunisation within the allowable period of time; or

    on the date indicated within the exclusive letter.

See ‘School Exclusion Period ‘ Chart below.       

GENERAL COMMUNICABLE DISEASES  

Disease

Children who have the Disease

Unimmunised Children who are in  contact with the sick child

CHICKEN POX

[Varicella]

 

Exclude until fully recovered.

Minimum Exclusion:

7 days after first spots appear

Contacts not excluded

IMPETIGO

Re-admit when sores have healed.  The child may be allowed to return provided that treatment is being supplied and those sores on exposed surfaces are properly covered with dressings.

 

Contacts not excluded

PEDICULOSIS

[Head Lice]

 

Re-admit when treatment with anti-lice lotion or shampoo has been undertaken.  Hair should be free from ‘nits’.  However, if anti-lice treatment has been undertaken properly, any remaining ‘nits’ would be dead, as would any old “nits”, that is, those more than 2cm from the scalp.

 

Sibling contacts may require simultaneous treatment.

 

The regular use of a fine comb is recommended.

 

TRACHOMA

CONJUNCTIVITIS

[Acute infections]

Re-admit when discharge from eyes has ceased.

Contacts not excluded

 

 

 

RINGWORM

Re-admit when appropriate treatment has commenced, supported, when requested, by a medical certificate.

 

Contacts not excluded

DIPHTHERIA Stay at home until a doctor has given a certificate of recovery.

 

Keep household contacts at home until cleared to return by a Medical Officer.

TETANUS

Stay at home until fully recovered.

 

Can attend school

PERTUSSIS

(WHOOPING COUGH)

Stay at home for 14 days from the start of illness or until 5 days of a 14 day course of antibiotics have been completed. Keep unimmunised household contacts at home for 14 days from exposure or until they have had 5 days of a 14 day course of antibiotics, if they go to a childcare centre or pre-school. Unimmunised contacts in Primary School, (K-6) do not need to stay at home.

 

MEASLES

Stay at home for at least 4 days from the appearance of the rash.

Unimmunised contacts should stay at home for 14 days or if they are immunised within 72 hours of exposure to measles, they can return to school immediately.

 

MUMPS

Stay at home for 9 days after the appearance of the swelling.

 

Can attend school.

RUBELLA

Stay at home for at least 4 days after the rash appears.

 

Can attend school.

POLIOMYELITIS

Stay at home for at least 14 days from start of illness and until a doctor has issued a medical certificate of recovery.

 

Can attend school.

 
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