508.4 - Communicable Diseases-Students

Students with a communicable disease will be allowed to attend school provided their presence does not create a substantial risk of illness or transmission to other students or employees. The term “communicable disease” will mean an infectious or contagious disease spread from person to person, or animal to person, or as defined by law.

A student will be excluded from school when the student's condition has been determined to be injurious to the health of others or when the student is too ill to attend school. The health risk to an immuno-depressed student attending school shall be determined by the student's personal physician. The health risk to others in the school environment from the presence of a student with a communicable disease shall be determined on a case-by-case basis by the student's physician and a physician selected by the school district or public health officials.

Since there may be greater risks of transmission of a communicable disease for some persons with certain conditions than for other persons infected with the same disease, these special conditions: the risk of transmission of the disease, the effect upon the educational program, the effect upon the student, and other factors deemed relevant by public health officials or the superintendent shall be considered in assessing the student's continued attendance at school. The superintendent may require medical evidence that students with a communicable disease are able to attend school.

Prevention and control of communicable diseases is included in the school district’s bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan. The procedures will include scope and application, definitions, exposure control, methods of compliance, universal precautions, vaccination, post-exposure evaluation, follow-up, communication of hazards to employees and record keeping. This plan is reviewed annually by the superintendent and school nurse.

A student shall notify the Superintendent or the school nurse when the student learns the student has a communicable disease. It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent, when the Superintendent or school nurse, upon investigation, has knowledge that a reportable communicable disease is present, to notify the Iowa Department of Public Health

Health data of a student is confidential and it shall not be disclosed to third parties, except in cases of reportable communicable diseases.

For more information on communicable disease charts, and reporting forms, go to the Iowa Department of Public Health Web site: http://www.idph.state.ia.us

Approved: August 27, 2018
Reviewed: August 27, 2018
Revised: August 27, 2018

dawn@iowaschoo… Tue, 09/22/2020 - 14:39

508.4E1 - Communicable Disease Chart

CONCISE DESCRIPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR

EXCLUSION OF CASES FROM SCHOOL

DISEASE *Immunization is available	Usual Interval Between Exposure and First Symptoms of Disease	MAIN SYMPTOMS	Minimum Exclusion From School
CHICKENPOX*	13 to 17 days	Mild symptoms and fever. Pocks are "blistery." Develop scabs, most on covered parts of body.	7 days from onset of pocks or until pocks become dry
CONJUNCTIVITIS (PINK EYE)	24 to 72 hours	Tearing, redness and puffy lids, eye discharge.	Until treatment begins or physician approves readmission.
ERYTHEMIA INFECTIOSUM (5^TH DISEASE)	4 to 20 days	Usual age 5 to 14 years – unusual in adults. Brief prodrome of low-grade fever followed by Erythemia (slapped cheek) appearance on cheeks, lace-like rash on extremities lasting a few days to 3 weeks. Rash seems to recur.	After diagnosis no exclusion from school.
GERMAN MEASLES* (RUBELLA)	14 to 23 days	Usually mild. Enlarged glands in neck and behind ears. Brief red rash.	7 days from onset of rash. Keep away from pregnant women.
HAEMOPHILUS MENINGITIS	2 to 4 days	Fever, vomiting, lethargy, stiff neck and back.	Until physician permits return.
HEPATITIS A	Variable – 15 to 50 (average 28 to 30 days)	Abdominal pain, nausea, usually fever. Skin and eyes may or may not turn yellow.	14 days from onset of clinical disease and at least 7 days from onset of jaundice.
IMPETIGO	1 to 3 days	Inflamed sores, with puss.	48 hours after antibiotic therapy started or until physician permits return
MEASLES*	10 days to fever, 14 days to rash	Begins with fever, conjunctivitis, runny nose, cough, then blotchy red rash.	4 days from onset of rash.
MENINGOCOCCAL MENINGITIS	2 to 10 days (commonly 3 to 4 days)	Headache, nausea, stiff neck, fever.	Until physician permits return.
MUMPS*	12 to 25 (commonly 18) days	Fever, swelling and tenderness of glands at angle of jaw.	9 days after onset of swollen glands or until swelling disappears.
PEDICULOSIS (HEAD/BODY LICE)	7 days for eggs to hatch	Lice and nits (eggs) in hair.	24 hours after adequate treatment to kill lice and nits.
RINGWORM OF SCALP	10 to 14 days	Scaly patch, usually ring shaped, on scalp.	No exclusion from school. Exclude from gymnasium, swimming pools, contact sports.
SCABIES	2 to 6 weeks initial exposure; 1 to 4 days reexposure	Tiny burrows in skin caused by mites.	Until 24 hours after treatment.
SCARLET FEVER SCARLATINA STREP THROAT	1 to 3 days	Sudden onset, vomiting, sore throat, fever, later fine rash (not on face). Rash usually with first infection.	24 hours after antibiotics started and no fever.
WHOOPING COUGH* (PERTUSSIS)	7 to 10 days	Head cold, slight fever, cough, characteristic whoop after 2 weeks.	5 days after start of antibiotic treatment.

dawn@iowaschoo… Tue, 09/22/2020 - 14:40