This procedure outlines the responsibilities for the management of: - Infection control in accordance with the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995; and - Contagious Conditions in accordance with the requirements of the Public Health Act 2005.
Statement of intent
The Department of Education and Training has a general obligation under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 to prevent injury and illness in the workplace. This obligation requires the implementation of infection control practices at schools and other workplaces that provide for the health and safety of staff, students and others such as visitors and volunteers. Infection Control Guidelines (new window) 188k 
have been established to provide a minimum standard to be implemented at schools and departmental workplaces.
The Public Health legislation requires provisions to minimise the spread of contagious conditions 
in schools. Responsibilities and processes are outlined in this procedure.
Penalties under the Public Health Act 2005 exist for failure to act in certain circumstances and failure to heed a lawful direction.
If a suspected outbreak of a contagious condition (new window) , prescribed under the Public Health Regulation 2005 takes place within a school, it is vital that steps are taken to protect the health of the school community in a timely manner.
Although there are many medical conditions that are contagious, the responsibilities outlined below apply only to the specific conditions which are prescribed under the Public Health Regulation 2005. As the list of prescribed conditions may change from time to time, it is important to consult with the closest Population Health Unit within Queensland Health if concerns are raised. The prescribed contagious conditions (new window) include:
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Diphtheria
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Enterovirus 71 (EV71)
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Gastroenteritis outbreaks
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Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) infection
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Hepatitis A infection
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Measles
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Meningococcal infection
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Pertussis (whooping cough)
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Poliomyelitis
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Rubella
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Typhoid paratyphoid
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Untreated Tuberculosis
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Varicella (chicken pox)
Similarly, although there are many vaccine preventable conditions, this policy only applies to the vaccine preventable conditions prescribed under the Regulation:
The Regulation defines prescribed periods for the various prescribed contagious conditions (new window) .
Responsibilities
General Infection Control Responsibilities: Principals
- Develop and implement local infection control practices
- Communicate and promote infection control practices
- Appropriately allocate funds to implement infection control practices
Staff
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Follow local good hygiene and infection control practices; and
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Communicate, promote and model good hygiene and infection control practices.
Responsibilities specific to the Public Health Act and Regulation 2005: Responsibilities include:
Parents Do not send a child to school if:
Teachers - Advise the principal if the teacher knows or reasonably suspects that a child attending the school may have a prescribed contagious condition;
- Advise the principal if they themselves have a prescribed contagious condition
Principals - Implement the relevant provisions of the Public Health legislation (new window) ;
- Comply with a direction from the Director-General of Queensland Health, unless the principal has a reasonable excuse not to do so. Non-compliance with a direction may result in prosecution of the principal including a maximum fine of 50 penalty units (currently this is equivalent to a fine of $3,750.00);
- Comply with an order made by the Minister for Health, in consultation with the Minister for Education, Training and the Arts to close a school in the interests of public health. Non-compliance may result in prosecution of the principal including a maximum fine of 100 penalty units (currently this is the equivalent to a fine of $7,500.00).
A. Suspicion of Prescribed Contagious Condition
A principal of a school who
reasonably suspects (new window) that:
Advise a parent of the child of their suspicion and notify the parent of their obligation to not send the child to the school and keep a written record (including a diary notation or a note in the student's file) about this advice to the child's parent and when it was given.
B. Direction (new window) 30k 
to Parent to Not Send Child to School
If, after advising the child's parent in accordance with the procedure in 'A' above -
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The child continues to attend the school, and
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The principal has a reasonable suspicion that the child still has a prescribed contagious condition and that other children at the school are at risk of contracting the condition.
The principal directs the child's parent to:
However, before the principal can issue this direction, the principal seeks advice from either:
C. Advice to Parent of Un-vaccinated Child
A principal of a school who reasonably suspects that:
Advises the un-vaccinated child's parent of the suspicion and keeps a written record (including a diary notation or a note in the student's file) about this advice given to the child's parent and when it was given.
D. Direction (new window) 48k to Parent of Un-vaccinated Child
If, after advising the child's parent in accordance with procedure in 'C' above -
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The child continues to attend the school, and
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The principal has a reasonable suspicion that the child will be at risk of contracting the condition.
The principal of a school directs the child's parent to:
However, before the principal can issue this direction, the principal seeks advice from either:
E. Information to be included in the Direction (B & D)
A principal who gives a direction to a parent, or is directed by the Director-General of Queensland Health (authorisation delegated to Public Health Medical Officer at the local Population Health Unit) to give a parent a direction, includes the following information in the direction:
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Suspected contagious condition;
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Prescribed period for the condition; and
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Circumstances in which the child may again attend the school.
F. Re-admitting a Child before the End of the Prescribed Period
(1) When a principal has issued a direction to a parent (other than a direction issued because the principal was directed to do so by the Director-General of Queensland Health - see 'I' below) -
The principal allows a child to be re-admitted to the school if:
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The child has a doctor's certificate stating that:
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For an un-vaccinated child, the principal is satisfied, on reasonable grounds, that the child is no longer at risk of contracting the condition.
(2) When a principal has issued a direction to a parent because they were directed to do so by the Director-General of Queensland Health -
The principal only allows a child to be readmitted to the school if directed to do so by the Director-General of Queensland Health.
G. Request for Information
Provide the Director-General of Queensland Health, if requested, with the following information:
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The contact a particular child (for example, suspected of having a prescribed contagious condition) has had with other children at the school;
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Names of all the children (including the child suspected of having had, or with, the contagious condition);
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Places and dates of birth of all these children;
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Home addresses of all these children;
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Contact details of a parent for each of the children; and
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If it is a vaccine-preventable contagious condition, whether the relevant children have been vaccinated against the contagious condition.
Ask for health information held by Queensland Health about a child attending the school, for instance, whether the child has been vaccinated for a vaccine preventable condition.
The Director-General of Queensland Health will provide the relevant information if the Director-General is satisfied that:
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A child attending the school is suspected of having a vaccine preventable condition;
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Another child attending the school has had contact with the child; and
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The information about the second child is necessary for the principal to discharge responsibilities outlined in this policy.
Director-General of Queensland Health: H. Examination of Children at School
Arrange for a doctor to examine some or all children attending a school if:
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The Director-General reasonably suspects the children should be examined by a doctor because a child attending the school may have a prescribed contagious condition; and
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The Director-General has consulted the principal about the examinations.
Note: A child cannot be examined without a parent's consent.
I. Advice to Parent about Examination
Advise a parent of a child of the following:
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Date and time of the examination;
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Suspected prescribed contagious condition;
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Name and contact details of doctor;
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That a child's parent may be present;
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Alternatively, that a parent can have a child examined by another doctor and provide a medical certificate to the principal stating whether the child has the contagious condition and if so, whether the prescribed period has ended; and
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That a parent may be directed to remove a child from school, and not send the child to school if the child has not been examined by a doctor, or the examination reveals that the child has, or may have a prescribed contagious condition.
J. Direction to the Principal
Direct the principal to direct a parent to remove a child from, and not send the child, to school for the prescribed period for the contagious condition if:
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A doctor has advised the Director-General that the child has, or may have, a contagious condition and the prescribed period has not ended; or
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A parent of the child has been advised that the child should be examined by a doctor, but the child has not been examined; or
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The Director-General suspects that a child has a contagious condition and the prescribed period has not ended.
Direct the principal to remove an un-vaccinated child from, and not send the child to, school for the prescribed period for the contagious condition if the Director-General reasonably suspects that the child is at risk of contracting the contagious condition.
K. Outbreak of a Contagious Condition
Issue a direction to the principal if the Director-General of Queensland Health is satisfied there is an outbreak of a contagious condition at a school.
The direction will state ways of minimising the risk of contracting the condition, for example, by:
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Not sharing eating utensils, cups, clothing, bed linen;
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Disinfecting the above;
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Requiring procedures for cleaning and disinfecting be followed;
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Requiring the Principal to give information to staff, children and parents about the condition.
Consult the principal of the school and the Director-General of Education, Training and the Arts.
L. Minister for Health
Order the closure of a school for up to one month if the Minister is satisfied that:
Firstly consult the Minister for Education, Training and the Arts before making a decision regarding closure of a school.
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