Time out poster

Some medical conditions require
exclusion from school or child care
to prevent the spread of infectious
diseases among staff and children.
This poster provides information
on the recommended minimum
exclusion periods for infectious
conditions and will assist medical
practitioners, schools, pre-
Exclusion of Contacts1
schools and child care centres
Exclusion of Case
to meet the requirements of
Condition
(person exposed to the case
(person with infection)
the Public Health Act 2005.
with the infection)
Pregnant women and anyone with an immune Exclude until all blisters have dried. This deficiency (eg. leukaemia) or receiving chemotherapy Chickenpox
is usually at least 5 days after the rash or immunosuppressive therapy may require (varicella)
preventive immunoglobulin and/or exclusion for their own protection. Contact local public health unit for advice. Otherwise not excluded.
Cold sores
Exclude young children unable to comply with good hygiene practices while sores are weeping (sores (herpes simplex)
should be covered with a dressing where possible).
Conjunctivitis
Exclude until discharge from eyes has ceased Footnotes
1. The definition of ‘contact’ will vary Cytomegalovirus
2. Diarrhoea: the definition is 2 or more Diarrhoea2
and/or Vomiting
normal or escapes a child’s nappy.
3. Doctors should notify the local public health unit as soon as possible if children or staff are diagnosed with these conditions.
If there are more than 2 cases with loose Diphtheria
Exclude according to public health unit requirements.
the intent of the Public Health Act 2005 Enterovirus
6. For meningococcal infection, appropriate 71 (EV71)
confirming the virus is no longer present Neurological
ciprofloxacin or ceftriaxone and this will Act for a person to be not infectious.
For additional information
Glandular fever
please refer to the NHMRC publication
(Epstein Barr
“Staying Healthy in Child Care” virus (EBV),
at http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/
index.htm
mononucleosis)
or the Queensland Health website at
http://access.health.qld.gov.au/hid/
Exclude until child has received appropriate for fact sheets about various
Haemophilus
antibiotic treatment4 for at least 4 days. communicable diseases.
influenza type
Written medical clearance from doctor or See www.health.qld.gov.au/immunisation
public health unit is required to return to child for an electronic copy of this poster.
care/school, confirming child is not infectious5.
For further advice and information on any of
these conditions
Hand, foot and
Exclude until all blisters have dried.
contact your nearest public health unit.
mouth disease
Exclusion is not necessary if effective treatment is commenced prior to the next attendance public health units
Head lice
day (i.e. the child does not need to be sent Southern
home immediately if head lice are detected).
Exclude until at least 7 days after the onset Hepatitis A3
unit is required to return to child care/ school, confirming child is not infectious5. Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
immunodeficiency
Tropical
virus (HIV/AIDS)
Influenza and
influenza-
like illness
Some medical conditions require
exclusion from school or child care
to prevent the spread of infectious
Exclusion of Case
Exclusion of Contacts
diseases among staff and children.
1 (person exposed
Condition
This poster provides information
(person with infection)
to the case with the infection)
on the recommended minimum
Immunised and immune contacts not excluded. exclusion periods for infectious
conditions and will assist medical
Exclude unimmunised contacts of a case until 14 days practitioners, schools, pre-
Exclude until at least 4 days since the onset of after the first day of appearance of rash in the last case, schools and child care centres
rash. Written medical clearance from doctor or unless they are immunised within 72 hours, or receive to meet the requirements of
public health unit is required to return to child an immunoglobulin injection within 7 days, of first the Public Health Act 2005.
care/school, confirming child is not infectious5. contact during the infectious period with the first case.
Exclude al immunocompromised children and staff until 14 days after the first day of appearance of rash in the last case.
Meningitis
(bacterial)
Meningitis (viral)
Exclude until child is well and has received Meningococcal
appropriate antibiotics.6 Written medical clearance from doctor or public health unit infection3
is required to return to child care/school, Molluscum
Footnotes
contagiosum
1. The definition of ‘contact’ will vary Exclude for 9 days after onset of swelling.
Norovirus
2. Diarrhoea: the definition is 2 or more Parvovirus (erythema
infectiosum, fifth
normal or escapes a child’s nappy.
disease, slapped
consult their medical practitioner).
3. Doctors should notify the local public cheek syndrome)
health unit as soon as possible if children or Exclude from childcare settings children who have staff are diagnosed with these conditions.
received less than 3 pertussis vaccinations who are in the same household or same childcare room as case until completed 5 days appropriate antibiotics. If no antibiotics, exclude 14 days from last exposure to infectious case. Pertussis3
Staff who have not had a pertussis booster in last 10 years who are in same childcare room as case and the intent of the Public Health Act 2005 (whooping cough)
Written medical clearance from doctor or public do not commence appropriate antibiotics; exclude health unit is required to return to child care/ 14 days from last exposure to infectious case school, confirming child is not infectious 6. For meningococcal infection, appropriate Note: where contact in childcare room with case is <12 months and had less than 3 pertussis vaccinations it is ciprofloxacin or ceftriaxone and this will recommended all staff and children in the room receive appropriate antibiotics regardless of vaccination status. Act for a person to be not infectious.
Exclude for at least 14 days from onset of For additional information
symptoms and case has recovered. Written please refer to the NHMRC publication
“Staying Healthy in Child Care” Poliomyelitis
at http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/
health unit is required to return to child care/ index.htm
school, confirming child is not infectious5.
or the Queensland Health website at
Ringworm/
http://access.health.qld.gov.au/hid/
for fact sheets about various
tinea/scabies
communicable diseases.
Roseola (sometimes
See www.health.qld.gov.au/immunisation
referred to as
for an electronic copy of this poster.
‘baby measles’)
For further advice and information on any of
these conditions
Rubella (German
Not excluded (female staff of childbearing age should contact your nearest public health unit.
measles)3
least 4 days after the onset of rash.
check their immunity to rubella with their doctor).
School sores
Exclude case until has received appropriate antibiotics for at least 24 hours. Sores on exposed public health units
(impetigo)
areas must be covered with a watertight dressing.
Southern
Exclude until diarrhoea has stopped for 48 Shigella
Exclude until two stool samples negative as hours and two stool samples negative, as per public health unit requirements.
per public health unit requirements.
Streptococcal sore
Exclude until well and has received antibiotic (including
scarlet fever)
(candidiasis)
Written medical clearance is required from Tuberculosis (TB)3 Queensland Tuberculosis Control Centre to return to
child care/school, confirming child is not infectious.
Exclude from child care/school/food handling Tropical
Typhoid3,
and health care workplaces until there is written medical clearance from doctor or public health paratyphoid
unit confirming child is not infectious and has met public health unit requirements.
Whooping cough
Exclude if loose bowel motions present.

Source: http://www.kitiwahplace.com.au/images/timeout_poster.pdf