The Maine CDC is connecting with partners to ensure communities, including schools, are prepared to identify, respond to, and prevent measles.
Communicable Disease Management
Schools should have protocols and procedures for:
- Educating school personnel regarding symptoms and management of communicable diseases
- Training for handling blood-borne pathogens (required by OSHA)
- Keeping children with signs of communicable disease at home and seeking appropriate treatment
- Record-keeping regarding non-immunized children during outbreaks
- Exclusion and follow-up of children who are not immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases or who have contracted a communicable disease
- Designating the school nurse (or other school official) as liaison with public health officials for the reporting of notifiable diseases and conditions
A potential outbreak of disease is reportable to Maine CDC. In schools, this is defined as 15% of the school population being absent on a particular day due to illness. Schools must report elevated absenteeism. Using the NEO reporting tool will communicate with the Maine DOE and the Maine CDC.
Most diseases, such as ringworm, impetigo, and scabies, must be handled locally and not reported to public health officials. The Maine CDC School Health page contains disease-specific information sheets that include symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and role of the school nurse. Questions and consults may be addressed to disease.reporting@maine.gov or 1-800-821-5821.
Contact
Emily Poland, MPH, RN, NCSN
School Nurse Consultant
Email: Emily.Poland@maine.gov