Below is the main exclusion/infection control guidance from the Health Protection Agency.
N.B. If you are in any doubt at all please call the Health Protection Agency on 0845 894 2944. They are always glad to help and they would be who we would call for all our advice.
Please be aware that these exclusion periods may change and need to be updated from time to time, as advice changed from the Health Protection Agency. Sometimes we will need to call them to check that this advice is up to date at the time of illness.
If you have made the choice not to immunise your child and an outbreak arises, you must keep your child at home until we are sure the outbreak has cleared or infectious period has passed, whichever is appropriate to that particular illness. If your child is not immunised it is your responsibility to read all nursery information regarding current illnesses and let the nursery know you will not be bringing them in. Please ensure that you clearly state on our registration form and inform management in writing at time of settle if your child is not immunised.
Molluscum contagiosum: Exclusion is Not necessary
Mumps: Exclude for five days after onset of swelling
Norovirus: Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion or vomiting for 48 hours
Parvovirus infection (fifth disease, erythema infectiosum, slapped cheek syndrome): Exclusion is NOT necessary
Respiratory Syncytial virus: Exclusion is NOT necessary
Ringworm/tinea: Exclusion not usually required
Roseola: Exclusion is NOT necessary
Ross River virus: Exclusion is NOT necessary
Rotavirus infection: Children are to be excluded until there has not been a loose bowel motion or vomiting for 48 hours
Rubella (German measles): Exclude until fully recovered or for at least six days after the onset of the rash
Salmonella infection: Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion for 48 hours
Scabies: Exclude until the day after appropriate treatment has commenced
Scarlet fever: Exclude until 24 hours after commencing antibiotic treatment
School sores See ‘Impetigo’
Shigella infection: Please consult your local HPU for further advice
Streptococcal sore throat (including scarlet fever): Exclude until the person has received antibiotic treatment for at least 24 hours and feels well
Thrush (candidiasis): Exclusion is NOT necessary
Toxoplasmosis: Exclusion is NOT necessary
Tuberculosis (TB): Exclude until medical certificate is produced from an appropriate health authority
Typhoid, Paratyphoid Exclude until medical certificate is produced from appropriate health authority Not excluded unless considered necessary by public health authorities
Varicella: See ‘Chickenpox’
Viral gastroenteritis (viral diarrhoea): Children are to be excluded until there has not been a loose
bowel motion or vomiting for 48 hours
Warts: Exclusion is NOT necessary
Whooping cough (pertussis): Exclude until five days after starting appropriate antibiotic treatment or for 21
days from the onset of coughing if not antibiotic treatment. Contacts that live in the same house as the case and have received less than three doses of pertussis vaccine are to be excluded until they have had 5 days of an appropriate course of antibiotics. If antibiotics have not been taken, these contacts must be excluded for 21 days after their last exposure to the case while the person was infectious.
Worms: Exclusion not necessary if treatment has occurred
Amoebiasism (Entamoeba histolytica): Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion for 24 hours
Campylobacter Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion for 48 hours Not excluded Candidiasis See ‘Thrush’
Chickenpox (Varicella) Until all vesicles have crusted over
CMV (Cytomegalovirus infection): Exclusion is NOT necessary
Conjunctivitis: Not excluded as long as have treatment from pharmacist or doctor
Cryptosporidium infection: Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion for 24 hours
Diarrhoea (No organism identified): Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion for 48 hours
Diphtheria: Exclude until medical certificate of recovery is received following at least 2 negative throat swabs, the first swab not less than 24 hours after finishing a course of antibiotics followed by another swab 48 hours later.Exclude contacts that live in the same house until cleared to return by an appropriate health authority
German measles See ‘Rubella’ Giardiasis: Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion for 24 hours
Glandular fever (Mononucleosis, EBV infection):Exclusion is NOT necessary
Hand, foot and mouth disease: Exclusion NOT necessary unless child shows signs of illness or discomfort
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)Exclude until the person has received appropriate antibiotic treatment for at
least 4 days
Head lice (Pediculosis) Exclusion is NOT necessary if being treated
Hepatitis A: Exclude until a medical certificate of recovery is received, but not before seven days after the onset of jaundice
Hepatitis A Exclude until a medical certifi cate of recovery is received, but not before seven
days after the onset of jaundice.
Hepatitis B: Exclusion is NOT necessary
Hepatitis C: Exclusion is NOT necessary
Herpes simplex (cold sores, fever blisters): Exclusion is not necessary if the person is developmentally capable of
maintaining hygiene practices to minimise the risk of transmission. If the person is unable to comply with these practices they should be excluded until the sores are dry. Sores should be covered by a dressing where possible.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS): Exclusion is NOT necessary. If the person is severely immunocompromised, they will be vulnerable to other people’s illnesses.
Hydatid disease: Exclusion is NOT necessary
Impetigo (school sores): Until lesions are crusted and healed, or 48 hours
after commencing antibiotic treatment
Legionnaires’ disease: Exclusion is NOT necessary
Leprosy Exclude until approval to return has been given by an appropriate health
authority
Measles: Exclude for 4 days after the onset of the rash Immunised and immune contacts are not excluded. Non-immunised contacts of a case are to be excluded from child care until 14 days after the first day of appearance of rash in the last case, unless immunised within 72 hours of first contact during the infectious period with the
first case. All immunocompromised children should be excluded until 14 days after the first day of appearance of rash in the last case.
Meningitis (bacterial): Exclude until well and has received appropriate antibiotics
Meningitis (viral ):Exclude until well
Meningococcal infection Exclude until appropriate antibiotic treatment has been completed