If your school is experiencing higher than usual rates of absenteeism please complete the absenteeism form. We will review the information and contact you only if we have any additional questions or concerns. You are not required to submit daily reports of increased absenteeism unless otherwise directed by public health
If a principal of a school or an operator of an institution, such as a child care centre, has knowledge of, or suspects that a child in their school or child care centre has a reportable disease listed on the diseases of public health significance list, the local health unit must be informed in accordance with the Health Protection and Promotion Act (R.S.O. 1990, C.7; Part IV).
Call the Communicable Disease Control program at 705-474-1400 or 1-800-563-2808 ext. 5229 or fax the diseases of public health significance notification form to 705-482-0670.
Encourage the individual to follow up with a health care provider, who may send them for lab testing. The lab will inform the Health Unit if the result is positive. The Health Unit will contact the school if any action is required.
To help prevent the spread of illness in your school, here are some resources:
- School and classroom supports on hand hygiene
- Lending Library resources
Reporting and Exclusion Guidelines
Respiratory Infections
Common Cold |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Colds in Children Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities.3 If child has a fever with behaviour changes.4,5 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Ear Infections (Otitis Media) |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Ear Infections Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities.3 If child has a fever with behaviour changes.4,5 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Influenza |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Influenza in children Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities.3 If child has a fever with behaviour changes.4,5 When to report to Health Unit: Only laboratory confirmed cases are reportable to the Health Unit. |
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities.3 If child has a fever with behaviour changes.4,5 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Scarlet Fever |
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Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities and until 24 hours of antibiotic treatment is taken.2,4,5 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Strep Throat |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Strep Throat Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities and until 24 hours of antibiotic treatment is taken.2,4,5 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Whooping Cough (Pertussis) |
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Visit our Whooping Cough webpage. Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone by next working day. |
Gastrointestinal Infections
Campylobacter |
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Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone by next working day. |
Gastroenteritis |
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Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities. If child has a fever with behaviour changes. If stool cannot be contained in a diaper for a diapered child. If diarrhea is causing 'accidents' for a toilet-trained child. If there is blood or mucous in the stool. If there is also vomiting. If child has a dry mouth, no tears or no urine output in 8 hours. If advised to do so by a healthcare provider. If stool frequency is more than two stools above normal in a 24 hour period. Vomiting two or more times in the last 24 hours, unless vomiting is caused by a non-communicable condition and child is able to remain hydrated. References3,4,5 When to report to Health Unit: Contact Health Unit as soon as outbreak is suspected (two or more children affected in a 48 hour period). |
Escherichia coli |
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Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone by next working day. |
Giardia |
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Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone by next working day. |
Hepatitis A |
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Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone IMMEDIATELY. |
Norovirus |
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Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities. If child has a fever with behaviour changes. If stool cannot be contained in a diaper for a diapered child. If diarrhea is causing 'accidents' for a toilet-trained child. If there is blood or mucous in the stool. If there is also vomiting. If child has a dry mouth, no tears or no urine output in 8 hours. If advised to do so by a healthcare provider. If stool frequency is more than two stools above normal in a 24 hour period. Vomiting two or more times in the last 24 hours, unless vomiting is caused by a non-communicable condition and child is able to remain hydrated. References3,4,5 When to report to Health Unit: Contact Health Unit as soon as outbreak is suspected (two or more children affect in a 48 hour period). |
Rotavirus |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Rotavirus Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities. If child has a fever with behaviour changes. If stool cannot be contained in a diaper for a diapered child. If diarrhea is causing 'accidents' for a toilet-trained child. If there is blood or mucous in the stool. If there is also vomiting. If child has a dry mouth, no tears or no urine output in 8 hours. If advised to do so by a healthcare provider. If stool frequency is more than two stools above normal in a 24 hour period. Vomiting two or more times in the last 24 hours, unless vomiting is caused by a non-communicable condition and child is able to remain hydrated. References3,4,5 When to report to Health Unit: Contact Health Unit as soon as outbreak is suspected (two or more children affected in a 48 hour period). |
Salmonella |
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Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone by next working day. |
Shigella |
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Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone by next working day. |
Yersinia |
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Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone by next working day. |
Skin and Scalp Infections
Chickenpox (Varicella) |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Chickenpox Exclude: If child has a fever (regardless of the state of the rash).1.2 If child is too ill to take part in routine activities.2,3 When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit on a daily basis using the "Chicken Pox Daily Reporting Form." |
Cold Sores (Herpes Simplex) |
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Exclude: If child has a fever with behaviour changes.3,5 If child has extensive mouth sores and is drooling and until the child is able to to eat comfortably and take part in activities.3.5 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Impetigo |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Impetigo Exclude: Until at least one full day of antibiotic treatment.2,3 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Head Lice |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Head Lice Exclude: Consult with internal policy. When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Pinworms |
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Exclude: No exclusion required.5 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Ringworm |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Ringworm Exclude: Until the first treatment has been applied.2,3,5 Those with active ringworm should not use swimming pools or gyms. Those who participate in contact sports and have ringworm of the body must cover the affected area and be excluded from contact sports for 72 hours after starting treatment.4 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Scabies |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Scabies Exclude: Until the first treatment has been applied.2,3 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Other Infections
Fifth Disease |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Fifth Disease Exclude: If child is too ill to participate in routine activities.2,5 If child has a fever with behaviour changes.5 If child has a underlying blood disorder such as sickle cell disease, or a compromised immune system.5 Once rash appears, a child is no longer contagious.3 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Hand/Foot/Mouth Disease |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Hand, foot and mouth disease Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities.2,3 If child has a fever with behaviour changes.5 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Hepatitis B |
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Exclude: No exclusion required.1 When to report to Health Unit: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities. If there are medical or behavioural risk factors e.g. biting, scratching, bleeding problem or weeping sores that cannot be covered.3.5 |
Measles (Red Measles) |
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Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone IMMEDIATELY. |
Meningitis |
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Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone IMMEDIATELY. |
Mononucleosis |
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Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities.5 If child has a fever with behaviour changes.4.5 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Mumps |
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Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone by next working day. |
Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis) |
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Exclude: If there is eye discharge and see primary health care provider (HCP). If determined by HCP to be bacterial, child may return after 24 hours of appropriate antibiotic treatment. No need to exclude if there is no eye discharge. Reference2,3,6 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Roseola (Sixth Disease) |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Roseola Exclude: If child is too ill to take part in routine activities.3 If child has a fever with behaviour changes.5 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
Rubella (German Measles) |
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Exclude: Consult with Health Unit. When to report to Health Unit: Report to Health Unit by telephone IMMEDIATELY. |
Thrush |
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Caring for kids (information for parents): Thrush Exclude: No exclusion required.5 When to report to Health Unit: Individual cases not reportable to Health Unit. |
*Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, S.O. 2014, c.11, Sched.1 https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/14c11
Regulation under this Act: *O.Reg.137/15,s.26 https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/14c11
*Health Protection and Promotion Act (H.P.P.A.) R.S.O. 1990, c.H.7, s.27(2) https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90h07#s27s2
*Health Protection and Promotion Act (H.P.P.A.) R.). 1990, c.H. &, s.28 https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90h07#s28
References |
| Reference #1: Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Ontario Public Health Standards. (2018). Infectious Diseases Protocol. Retrieved from: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/oph_standards/infdispro.aspx
Reference #2: Canadian Paediatrics Society (2019). Caring for kids. Illnesses and Infections. Retrieved from: http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/illnesses-index Reference #3: Canadian Paediatric Society (2015). Grenier D., Leduc D., editors. Well Beings: A Guide to Health in Child Care, third edition (revised). Canadian Paediatric Society: Ottawa, ON. Reference #4: American Academy of Pediatrics (2018). Kimberlin D.W., Brady M.T., Jackson M.A., Long S.S., eds. Red Book: 2018-2021 Report on the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 31st. Itasca, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; pp129-146. Reference #5: American Academy of Pediatrics (2017). Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools: A Quick Reference Guide, 4th ed. Aronson, SS & Shope, TR, Eds. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics. Reference #6: Recommendation approved by Dr. Chirico, Medical Officer of Health, 2015-11-25. E-log entry #12085. |
Exhibit for WI-CDC-018 August 2019