Public Health Guidance
Public Health Issues relating to schools
This page is a directory of information and resources for schools and childcare settings in relation to public health matters.
Health protection
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has produced the following practical resources for staff of schools and childcare settings, providing guidance and advice on how to manage cases of infectious diseases:
- Guidance on health protection in children and young people settings, including preventing the spread of infections; which diseases to get vaccinated for; how long to keep children away from school; managing infectious diseases; and cleaning the environment
- Additional health protection considerations for specific settings and populations, such as 0-5s, SEN and residential settings
- Tools and resources, including how long an individual should not attend a setting to reduce the risk of transmission during the infectious stage
- Promotional material, such as posters and checklists
Reporting outbreaks
UKHSA's local health protection teams (HPTs) provide specialist public health advice and support to prevent and reduce the effect of infectious diseases.
Not all infectious diseases need to be reported to the local HPT, and not all infections require exclusion. It is important to read the above guidance to ensure you are taking the correct actions in response to an infectious disease circulating in your setting.
If you need to contact the HPT for advice and support managing an outbreak of an infectious illness you can contact:
UKHSA Thames Valley Health Protection Team (South East)
Email: SE.AcuteResponse@ukhsa.gov.uk
Phone: 0344 225 3861
“Outbreaks packs”
UKHSA has produced “outbreak packs” or action cards which help education and young people settings manage outbreaks of some common infectious diseases.
They give an outline at-a-glance of information such as: principles in preventing and limiting transmissions, actions to be undertaken by staff, when to contact HPTs, and resources for communication with parents and children. This helps to standardise the response, and minimises the delay in getting such advice to you.
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is an infection in the gut which causes diarrhoea and/or vomiting. The principles in this pack are also effective at limiting the spread of viral and bacterial infections, including norovirus.
Scarlet Fever Outbreaks
The bacteria Strep A (Group A Streptococcus) can cause scarlet fever and other types of infections.
- Scarlet Fever outbreak pack
- Letter templates to Parents/Guardians on scarlet fever outbreak in English (with translations in Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Urdu)
- Letter templates to Parents/Guardians on co-circulating influenza and scarlet fever outbreak in English (with translations in Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Urdu)
Respiratory Outbreaks
Respiratory infections generally refer to infections of parts of the body involved in breathing. It may be caused by the common cold, influenza, Covid-19 or other diseases.
Other infections diseases
Measles
Measles is a highly infectious disease, especially within schools, and can be very serious. Immunisation is the safest and most effective way to protect against measles:
- Children should receive 2 doses of the MMR vaccine before the age of 5 years for lifelong protection, and this is offered as part of the NHS’s routine childhood immunisations.
- Staff should also make sure that they have had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine. It is never too late to catch up with vaccinations. Contact your GP practice.
For guidance on measles in school settings, see:
- Department for Education article
- Measles flyer for schools with advice on the MMR vaccine
- Measles FAQs for education and childcare settings
Chickenpox
Chickenpox (also known as varicella) is a very contagious infection that causes an itchy, spotty rash. A child with chickenpox should be kept off school until all the spots have crusted over.
Schools and education settings may use these resources if there are chickenpox cases:
Covid-19
See the NHS website for advice about Covid-19, including its symptoms and what to do, how to avoid catching and spreading it, treatments and testing, vaccinations and long-term effects.
Routine or universal testing for Covid-19 ended in April 2022 under the Government’s “Living with Covid-19” plan.
This Department for Education article explains the latest rules and guidance on Covid-19 in education settings, including what to do if a staff member or a child has symptoms or tests positive.
Other guidance include:
- Living safely with respiratory infections, including Covid-19
- Guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection including Covid-19
- Reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including Covid-19, in the workplace
Please also see the above section on outbreaks of respiratory infections.
Immunisations
Education and childcare settings have a vital role to play to support the routine immunisation programme.
We are grateful for the support of schools in hosting vaccination sessions, and in enabling communications to parents and young people to support the process. This helps to make sure children and young people receive all the vaccinations included in the national routine childhood immunisation programme, and has a direct positive impact on their health and wellbeing, as well as their communities.
UKHSA has produced the following guidance about immunisations:
- How education and childcare settings can support immunisation programmes
- For primary schools / For secondary schools
- Promotional resources for settings, parents and carers
- The complete routine immunisation schedule (with translations into other languages)
For details about local arrangements, contact the Berkshire School Aged Immunisation Team.
Teaching resources
The e-Bug programme (www.e-bug.eu) is a teaching resource that educates children and young people on hygiene, the spread of infection, and antibiotics.