Communicable Diseases

Public health nurses work to prevent diseases and control disease outbreaks in schools. Further information about communicable diseases can be found at HealthLink BC.

Download Keep Our Schools Healthy poster.

Reporting illnesses

Schools

The school health nurse is the best contact to report concerns about absenteeism or illness in the school.

Inform the the school health nurse promptly when attendance records indicate greater than 10% of the school population is absent or if three or more students and/or staff from a particular class/team are absent with symptoms of gastroenteritis.

Parents

Please report any serious illness (such as measles, mumps or whooping cough) that can be spread through close contact with others (coughing, sneezing, sharing spit).

Chicken pox

Chicken pox may have severe consequences for those with lowered immunity (i.e. receiving cancer treatment). Anyone with lowered immunity should be advised, in consultation with the Public Health Nurse, when a case of chicken pox occurs in the school.