Infectious Diseases - Measles, Mumps, Chickenpox, Etc.
It is expected that any such illnesses be reported to the school and the child be kept home
for the required period of convalescence. Department regulations specify details of the
time a child is to be kept from school for various illnesses
Condition
Period of Exclusion
Chicken Pox
Exclude until full recovery or at least 5 days
after the eruption first appears.
Conjunctivitis (Acute infections )
Exclude until discharge from eyes has
ceased
Diarrhoea
Exclude until diarrhoea has ceased.
Diphtheria
Exclude until medical certificate of recovery
is obtained.
Glandular Fever
Exclusion is not necessary
Hepatitis A
Exclude until receipt of a medical certificate
of recovery but not before 7 days after the
onset of jaundice.
Hepatitis B
Exclusion is not necessary.
Hepatitis C
Exclusion is not necessary.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection Exclusion is not necessary unless person
(H.I.V.)
has secondary infection requiring exclusion
in its own right.
Impetigo ( School Sores )
Exclude until appropriate treatment has
commenced and sores on exposed surfaces
are covered with a dressing.
Leprosy
Exclude until approval to return has been
given by an appropriate health authority.
Measles
Exclude for at least 4 days from the
appearance of the rash.
Meningitis ( Bacterial )
Exclude until well
Meningococcal Infection
Exclude until well
Mumps
Exclude for at least 9 days after onset of
symptoms
Poliomyelitis
Exclude for at least 14 days from onset. Readmit on a medical certificate of recovery.
Ringworm, Scabies, Head Lice, Trachoma
Exclude until the day after treatment has
commenced
Rubella ( German Measles )
Exclude until full recovery or for at least four
days after the onset of the rash
Streptococcal Infection (including Scarlet Exclude until person has received antibiotic
Fever )
treatment for at least 24 hours and person
feels well
Tuberculosis
Exclude until production of a medical
certificate from appropriate health authority
Typhoid & Paratyphoid Fever
Exclude until production of a medical
certificate of recovery
Whooping Cough
Exclude for 5 days after starting antibiotic
treatment.
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NHMRC Recommended Exclusion Periods
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) provide 'Recommended minimum
periods of exclusion from school, pre-school and child care centres for cases of and contact with
infectious diseases'.
Condition
Exclusion of cases
Exclusion of contacts
Amoebiasis (Entamoeba
Exclude until diarrhoea ceases.
Not excluded.
histolytica)
Campylobacter
Exclude until diarrhoea has ceased.
Not excluded.
Chicken pox
Exclude until fully recovered or for at least Any child with an immune
five days after the eruption first appears.
deficiency (for example,
Note that some remaining scabs are not a
leukaemia) or receiving
reason for continued exclusion.
chemotherapy should be
excluded for their own
protection. Otherwise not
excluded.
Conjunctivitis
Exclude until discharge from eyes has
Not excluded.
ceased.
Cytomegalovirus Infection Exclusion not necessary.
Not excluded.
Diarrhoea
Exclude until diarrhoea has ceased.
Not excluded.
Diphtheria
Exclude until medical certificate of recovery Exclude family/household
is received following at least two negative
contacts until cleared to
throat swabs, the first not less than 24
return by an appropriate
hours after finishing a course of antibiotics health authority.
and the other 48 hours later.
Glandular fever
Exclusion is not necessary.
Not excluded.
(mononucleosis)
Hand, Foot and Mouth
Until all blisters have dried.
Not excluded.
disease
Haemophilus type b (Hib)
Exclude until medical certificate of recovery Not excluded.
is received.
Hepatitis A
Exclude until a medical certificate of
Not excluded.
recovery is received, but not before seven
days after the onset of jaundice or illness.
Hepatitis B
Exclusion is not necessary.
Not excluded.
Hepatitis C
Exclusion is not necessary.
Not excluded.
Herpes ("cold sores")
Young children unable to comply with good Not excluded.
hygiene practices should be excluded while
the lesion is weeping. Lesions to be covered
by dressing, where possible.
Hookworm
Exclusion not necessary.
Not excluded.
Human immun.-deficiency Exclusion is not necessary unless the child Not excluded.
virus infection (HIV AIDS
has a secondary infection.
virus)
Impetigo
Exclude until appropriate treatment has
Not excluded.
commenced. Sores on exposed surfaces
must be covered with a watertight
dressing.
Influenza and influenza like Exclude until well.
Not excluded.
illnesses
Leprosy
Exclude until approval to return has been
Not excluded.
given by an appropriate health authority.
Measles
Exclude for at least four days after onset of Immunised contacts not
rash.
excluded. Unimmunised
contacts should be
excluded until 14 days
after the first day of
appearance of rash in the
last case. If unimmunised
contacts are vaccinated
within 72 hours of their
first contact with the first
case they may return to
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Meningitis (bacterial)
Meningococcal infection
Molluscum contagiosum
Mumps
arvovirus (erythema
infectiousum fifth disease)
Poliomyelitis
school.
Exclude until well.
Not excluded.
Exclude until adequate carrier eradication
Not excluded if receiving
therapy has been completed.
rifampicin.
Exclusion not necessary.
Not excluded.
Exclude for nine days or until swelling goes Not excluded.
down (whichever is sooner).
Exclusion not necessary.
Not excluded.
Exclude for at least 14 days from onset.
Re-admit after receiving medical certificate
of recovery.
Not excluded.
Ringworm, scabies,
Re-admit the day after appropriate
pediculosis (lice), trachoma treatment has commenced.
Not excluded.
Rubella (german measles)
Not excluded.
Salmonella, Shigella
Streptococcal infection
(including scarlet fever)
Tuberculosis
Typhoid fever (including
paratyphoid fever)
Whooping cough
Worms (intestinal)
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Exclude until fully recovered or for at least
four days after the onset of rash.
Exclude until diarrhoea ceases.
Exclude until the child has received
antibiotic treatment for at least 24 hours
and the person feels well.
Exclude until a medical certificate from an
appropriate health authority is received.
Exclude until approval to return has been
given by an appropriate health authority.
Not excluded.
Not excluded.
Not excluded.
Not excluded unless
considered necessary by
public health authorities.
Exclude the child for five days after starting Exclude unimmunised
antibiotic treatment.
household contacts aged
less than 7 years for 14
days after the last
exposure to infection or
until they have taken five
days of a 14-day course of
antibiotics. (Exclude close
child care contacts until
they have commenced
antibiotics).
Exclude if diarrhoea present.
Not excluded