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Guidelines for Reporting - Schools and Daycare

Report School and Daycare Communicable Diseases:

Schools and day cares can play a major role in helping to reduce or prevent the incidence of illness among children and adults in our communities. Encouraging good hand hygiene and following cleaning recommendations contribute to a safe and healthy learning environment for children. When schools and day cares report illness to their local health department (LHD), public health specialists can assist them with disease prevention and control guidance. This document provides schools with general information on what steps they can take to prevent and control communicable disease.

What diseases require reporting?

Items are available at the Michigan Department of Community Health Reportable Disease List.
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Where can I learn more information?
For complete recommendations, please refer to the “Managing Communicable Diseases in Schools” document from the Michigan Department of Education and Health and Human Services.
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Am I required to report Communicable Diseases to the Health Department?
Michigan Law requires schools and childcare centers to report specific diseases according to Act No. 368 of the Public Acts of 1978, which states that physicians, laboratories, primary and secondary schools, child daycares, and camps are required to report the occurrence or suspected occurrence of any disease, condition, or infections as identified in the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) CD rules to your LHD within 24 hours.

It is important for schools and daycares to report to their LHD for a number of reasons, including:

  • To identify disease trends, outbreaks, and epidemics
  • To enable preventative treatment and/or education
  • To target prevention programs, identify care needs, and allocate resources efficiently
  • To inform epidemiological practice and research
  • To evaluate the success of long-term control efforts
  • To assist with local, state, national, and international disease surveillance efforts

What does Michigan law state regarding children who are NOT vaccinated or up-to-date on their vaccine preventable immunizations as it relates to exclusion from participation in schools and/or daycares?
Michigan law states a teacher or principal shall not permit a child to enter or attend school unless a certificate indicating that a minimum of 1 dose of immunizing agent against each of the diseases specified by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has been received and certified to by a health professional or local health department. A parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis having a child registered with only these minimum doses of immunizing agents shall present an updated certificate of immunization within 4 months after initial attendance showing that the immunizations have been completed as prescribed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

When should a child be excluded from school or daycare?

As a general guidelines, children with fever (temp. 100.4°F or greater), vomiting, severe diarrhea or those too sick to have meaningful interaction should be excluded from school or daycare. The following table provides guidance for some of the most common childhood illnesses.

DISEASE
EXCLUSION
CHICKENPOX (Varicella)
Exclude until lesions are dry and crusted.
COLD SORES
Exclusion not required.
CONJUNCTIVITIS (Pink Eye)
Exclude until 24 hours of treatment or until symptoms resolve. Allergic conjunctivitis does not require exclusion.
SALMONELLA: Typhi
Exclusion until permission from the Health Department or health care professional.
SHIGELLA
Exclusion until permission from the Health Department or health care professional.
FIFTH DISEASE (Erythema Infectiosum)
Exclusion not required.
HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE
Exclusion not required.
HEPATITIS A
Exclude until approved by a health care professional.
IMPETIGO
Exclude until 24 hours of antibiotic treatment.
LICE
Exclude at end of school day. May return after treatment (or if NO NITS, only when this is school policy).
MONONUCLEOSIS
Exclusion not required.
PERTUSSIS (Whooping cough)
After 5 days of treatment or 21 days after onset if no treatment is prescribed.
RINGWORM
Exclusion not required (should be treated).
SCABIES
Exclude until treated.
STAPH SKIN INFECTIONS (including MRSA)
Boils and draining lesions to be covered. Exclusion not required.
STREP THROAT AND SCARLET FEVER
Exclude until 24 hours of antibiotic treatment
TUBERCULOSIS
Exclusion until permission from the Health Department or health care professional.
UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION
Exclude until fever is gone.

 

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