The Health Protection Hub provides advice and support to educational and childcare settings and providers in relation to health protection matters, most commonly relating to infectious diseases.
Infections are common and for most people the risk of severe disease is low. Infections can be acquired at home or in the community and brought into settings, or acquired and spread within the setting. Infections are caused by micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, otherwise known as germs. Germs are everywhere and most do not cause infection and can even be beneficial. However, some germs can cause infections when they get into the wrong place. There are some groups of people who are either at higher risk of contracting an infection, or at risk of more severe illness or other consequences because of contracting the infection.
Infections can be spread through the air, or by direct contact with infected people or contaminated surfaces or equipment.
General advice on preventing and controlling infections
Infection control measures can be split into five broad categories – exclusions, hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, ventilation and cleaning.
Exclusions – some infections requires those affected, and in some instances their contacts, to be kept away from school for a period to prevent the risk of transmission to others. Although keeping children away from school is generally undesirable, the exclusion periods are designed to minimise educational disruption overall, by either preventing a single case becoming an outbreak, or reducing the scale and extent of an outbreak. Refer to the “Exclusions table” linked-to below.
Hand hygiene - is one of the most important ways of controlling the spread of infections. Ensure that everyone has access to liquid soap, warm water, and paper towels. Bar soap should not be used. Alcohol hand gel can be used if hands are not visibly dirty, but is not effective against norovirus, the most common cause of gastroenteritis. Hand washing should take place after using the toilet, before eating or handling food, after playtime and after touching animals. All cuts and abrasions should be covered with a waterproof dressing.
Respiratory and cough hygiene - cover nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing and sneezing, dispose of used tissue in a waste bin, and clean hands. If no tissues are available cough or sneeze into the inner elbow. Contaminated hands should be kept away from eyes, mouth and nose. Hands should be washed after contact with respiratory secretions and contaminated objects and materials.
Ventilation - letting fresh air into indoor spaces can help dilute air that contains viral particles and reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. Bringing fresh air into a room by opening a door or a window even for a few minutes at a time reduces the chance of spreading infections. During the colder months, you may consider opening windows more when the room is unoccupied in between lessons.
Cleaning - Keeping settings clean, including equipment, reduces the risk of transmission. Particular attention should be paid to hand touch surfaces that can be easily contaminated such as door handles, toilet flushes, taps and communal touch areas. In the event of an outbreak of infection, enhanced or more frequent cleaning is recommended to help reduce transmission.
You should have cleaning schedules which clearly describe the activities required, the frequency of cleaning and who will carry them out, and plans for situations where additional cleaning will be required (for example in the event of an outbreak) and how the setting might carry this out.
It’s important to ensure cleaning staff are appropriately trained and have access to the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as household gloves and aprons.
Immunisations
Achieving high levels of immunity against vaccine preventable diseases is vital to reduce the spread of infection and prevent outbreaks. High levels of immunity can result in herd immunity, whereby the protection from immunisation programmes extends to individuals who cannot be vaccinated for a number of reasons. Immunisations in schools reduces health disparities by making access to vaccines easier for all, for example parents don’t need to take time off work to book immunisation appointments and children who are not registered with a GP are included.
Education and childcare settings have a vital role to play to support the routine immunisation programme through sharing of information with parents and caregivers at key points.
Settings can also support the immunisation programme by hosting the School Age Immunisation Service and helping them with aspects of the vaccination process, including:
- providing space and time in the timetable for vaccination
- reminding staff, children, and young people about the date of the immunisation session(s)
- sharing information leaflets and consent forms with parents or carers
- providing a list of eligible children and young people and their parent or carer’s contact details to the SAIS team
Universities and colleges are also encouraged to share information on vaccines such as measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and meningococcal A, C, W, and Y (MenACWY) and information on the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease with newly enrolled students, along with links to GP registration and other relevant healthcare services.
Infectious diseases resources
- visit GOV.UK website to view health protection guidance in education and childcare settings
- download our guide for schools, colleges and nurseries dealing with diarrhoea and vomiting
- view the setting exclusion periods for infectious diseases from the UKHSA
- visit the NHS website for guidance when deciding if a child is too ill to attend school
- visit GOV.UK website for information on the prevention and management of meningitis and septicaemia in higher education institutions
- download advice for teachers who organise trips involving contact with animals
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Last updated: 25/09/2024 13:34
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