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 shall be considered in assessing the student’s continued attendance at school: 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. 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 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 will be 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 is shall not be disclosed to third parties, except in cases of reportable communicable diseases.
Approved: 10/16/14
Reviewed: FY 2015-2016, March 14, 2016, May 24,2021
Revised: 02/24/17
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
(5TH 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 retune.
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.
RINGWORM OR 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.
Approved: 10/16/14
Reviewed: FY 2015-2016, March 14, 2016, May 24,2021
Revised: 02/24/17
While the district is not responsible for reporting, the following infectious diseases are required to be reported to the state and local public health offices:
Acquired Immune Leprosy Rubella (German
Deficiency Syndrome Leptospirosis measles)
(AIDS) Lyme disease Rubeola (measles)
Amebiasis Malaria Salmonellosis
Anthrax Meningitis Shigellosis
Botulism (bacterial or viral) Tetanus
Brucellosis Mumps Toxic Shock Syndrome
Campylobacteriosis Parvovirus B 19 Trichinosis
Chlamydia trachomatis infection (fifth Tuberculosis
Cholera disease and other Tularemia
Diphtheria complications) Typhoid fever
E. Coli 0157:h7 Pertussis Typhus fever
Encephalitis (whooping cough) Venereal disease
Giardiasis Plague Chancroid
Hepatitis, viral Poliomyelitis Gonorrhea
(A,B, Non A- Psittacosis Granuloma Inguinale
Non-B, Unspecified) Rabies Lymphogranuloma
Histoplasmosis Reye's Syndrome Venereum
Human Immunodeficiency Rheumatic fever Syphilis
Virus (HIV) infection Rocky Mountain Yellow fever
other than AIDS spotted fever
Influenza Rubella (congenital
Legionellosis syndrome)
Any other disease which is unusual in incidence, occurs in unusual numbers of circumstances, or appears to be of public health concern, e.g., epidemic diarrhea, food or waterborne outbreaks, acute respiratory illness.
Approved: 10/16/14
Reviewed: FY 2015-2016, March 14, 2014, May 24,2021
Revised: 02/24/17