(Download printable MS Word version)

CONDITION	EXCLUSION OF CASES	EXCLUSION OF CONTACTS
Chickenpox and Shingles	Exclude until fully recovered or at least five days after the eruption first appears. Note that some remaining scabs are not a reason for continued exclusion.	Exclude children with immune deficiencies (e.g. Leukaemia or chemotherapy), otherwise not excluded
Conjunctivitis	Exclude until discharge from eyes has ceased	Not excluded
Cytomegalovirus CMV	Exclusion not necessary	Not excluded
Diarrhoea (campylobacter, cryptosporidium, giardia, rotavirus, salmonella, shignella, intestinal worms)	Exclude until diarrhoea has ceased	Not excluded
Glandular fever (mononucleosis)	Exclusion is not necessary	Not excluded
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease	Exclude until all blisters have dried	Not excluded
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)	Exclude until medical certificate of recovery is received	Not excluded
Headlice	Exclude until day after proper treatment has started	Not excluded
Hepatitis A	Exclude until a medical certificate of recovery is received, but not before seven days after the jaundice or illness started	Not excluded
Hepatitis B	Exclusion is not necessary	Not excluded
Hepatitis C	Exclusion is not necessary	Not excluded
Herpes (cold sores)	Exclude if child cannot comply with good hygiene practices while sores are weeping. (Sores should be covered with a dressing where possible)	Not excluded
HIV - AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus	Exclusion is not necessary unless the child has a secondary infection which requires exclusion in its own right	Not excluded
Impetigo	Exclude until appropriate treatment has commenced. Sores on exposed surfaces must be covered with a watertight dressing	Not excluded
Influenza and influenza like illnesses	Exclude until well	Not excluded
Measles	Exclude for at least four days after onset of rash	Immunised contact not excluded. Unimmunised contact should be excluded until 14 days after the first day of appearance of rash in the last case. If unimmunised contacts are vaccinated within 72 hours of their first contact with the case, they may return to school
Meningitis (other than meningococcal infection)	Exclude until well	Not excluded
Meningococcal infection	Exclude until carrier eradication antibiotic course is completed	Not excluded. Close contacts should take antibiotic (rifampicin). Public health authorities will advise
Molluscum contagiosum	Exclusion is not necessary	Not excluded
Mumps	Exclude for nine days or until swelling goes down (whichever is later)	Not excluded
Parvovirus (slapped cheek, erythema infectiosum, fifth disease)	Exclusion is not necessary	Not excluded
Ringworm, pediculosis (lice), scabies, trachoma	Exclude until day after proper treatment started	Not excluded
Rubella (German measles)	Exclude until fully recovered or for at least four days after the onset of rash	Not excluded
Streptococcal infection (including scarlet fever)	Exclude until the child has received antibiotic treatment for at least 24 hrs and the person feels well	Not excluded
Typhoid fever (including paratyphoid fever)	Exclude until a medical certificate of recovery is received	Not excluded unless considered necessary by public health authorities
Whooping cough (pertussis)	Exclude for 21 days from onset or until child has taken five days of a 10 — day course of antibiotics (erythromycin)	Exclude unimmunised household contacts aged less than 7 years, and children who are in close contact who are either less than one year old or not fully immunised, for 14 days after they were last exposed to infection or until they have received five days of a 10 day course of antibiotics (erythromycin). If necessary, contact your nearest public health unit for advice

Note: These guidelines are for exclusion periods only for staff and children. The NHMRC recommends that children who are physically unwell should be excluded from attending school, pre-school and child care centres.