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Hastings and Prince Edward Public Health
close up of soapy hands being washed

Infection Control in Schools

Children in schools are susceptible to infections, and a higher number of respiratory illnesses occur in school settings. You can help prevent the spread of disease in schools.

  • Ensure children in your school are immunized.
  • Encourage parents to keep ill children home until they are well enough to participate in all activities.
  • Teach children good personal hygiene, including handwashing, not sharing personal items, cutlery or drink containers, and coughing or sneezing into a tissue or their elbow.
  • Properly clean and disinfect surfaces in your school.

The Infection Control Process

Reporting Communicable Diseases in Schools

According to Section 265 of the Ontario Education Act, principals are required to report “any reason to suspect the existence of any communicable disease in the school” to the local Medical Officer of Health.

School administrators are encouraged to use the HPEPH Guide to Common Childhood Illnesses in addressing health concerns within schools in order to determine their reporting requirements as well as exclusion information regarding the ill individual(s).

To make a report, complete the Diseases of Public Health Significance Reporting Form. For assistance, call the Communicable Disease Intake Line at 613-966-5500 or 1-800-267-2803 ext. 349. After hours (evenings and weekends), please call 613-966-5500 and follow the prompts for reporting a disease of public health significance.

For Public Health to properly investigate the report of a suspected communicable disease, the school should be prepared to provide the following information:

  • name, date of birth, address and phone number of person suspected of having a communicable disease
  • date of last day in attendance at the school
  • school bus number and bus route information (if applicable)
  • any other information Public Health deems necessary for the investigation

If school administrators have questions regarding non-reportable illnesses in their school, they can contact their school’s HPEPH Health Promoter (elementary) or Public Health Nurse (secondary) or submit their question through the Healthy Schools Program Contact Form.

Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

Videos:

Social and Physical Environments

We encourage our school partners to put up posters that share information about how to wash hands. These materials will encourage children and youth to clean their hands in the washroom, and other hand washing stations.

Posters:

Home, School and Community Partnership

Need More Information About Infection Control in Schools?

Call the Communicable Disease Intake Line at 613-966-5500 or 1-800-267-2803, ext. 349, or email info@hpeph.ca.

News, Research and Reports RELATED TO: Educators, Vaccines & Immunization, Infection Prevention

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COVID-19 vaccines in HPE

Eligible individuals can receive their vaccination at many participating local pharmacies by contacting the pharmacy directly. Please visit covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations for location and registration information.

Vaccine ordering for health care providers

Vaccine orders for routine immunizations and STI medications continue to be available through HPEPH by using our vaccine order forms; however, please note that our vaccine delivery/pickup procedure has changed. For the most up to date pick up schedule please visit hpePublicHealth.ca/vaccine-orders-info-healthcare-providers/.