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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities/children-and-young-people-settings-tools-and-resources
This guidance refers to public health exclusions to indicate the time period an individual should not attend a setting to reduce the risk of transmission during the infectious stage. This is different to ‘exclusion’ as used in an educational sense.
*denotes a notifiable disease. Registered medical practitioners in England and Wales have a statutory duty to notify their local authority or UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) HPT of suspected cases of certain infectious diseases.
All laboratories in England performing a primary diagnostic role must notify UKHSA when they confirm a notifiable organism.
The NHS website has a useful resource to share with parents.
Download a PDF version of the Exclusion table to print out.
Posters are available for use by all education and childcare settings to promote the latest advice and guidance in managing cases of infectious diseases in their settings.
Download a PDF version of the Diarrhoea and vomiting outbreak action checklist to print out.
This checklist is for all education and childcare settings.
The school should contact the health protection team with details of the individual. The health protection team will contact microbiology and the medical team to obtain further information. The health protection team will then follow up with the school to discuss any further action required.
If the diagnosis is likely to be meningococcal disease, the health protection team will discuss the:
Take care not to breach the confidentiality of the person and their illness.
Further public health action may be required when 2 or more individuals who are linked at the education or childcare setting have confirmed or probable meningococcal disease within a short period of time (usually 4 weeks).
The health protection team (HPT) will:
In the event of 2 or more cases the HPT will liaise with:
If staff or students have a general question about meningitis, or septicaemia or require support, there are 2 charities available (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm):
More information on meningitis and septicaemia can be found in the Health protection in education and childcare settings guidance.
Download a PDF version of the Meningitis or septicaemia action checklist to print out.
Health protection teams contact details
e-Bug: school resources and e-learning to support teaching about infections and prevention
NHS England: national infection prevention and control
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