Managing and Preventing Communicable Disease in the School Setting
Handling and Reporting Communicable Diseases
Handling cases
Exclude: The student should be excluded from school if he/she has a condition that may be communicable to others e.g., rash, sore throat, or any suspected communicable disease. It is the principal, not Peel Public Health, who directs that the pupil shall or shall not attend school.
Re-Admit: The student may be readmitted when exclusion requirements of reportable communicable diseases are met or when condition of minor communicable disease has cleared; OR when the doctor gives written permission to return, stating that the condition is under treatment and is no longer communicable to others. Peel Public Health does not require written permission to return to school. Schools should refer to their own Board policies.
Special Concerns: Absenteeism considerably above the average and apparently due to communicable disease should be reported directly to Peel Public Health.
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Reporting diseases and suspected outbreaks
Notification of Disease in Schools (PDF 171KB, 2 Pages) is a two-sided form. Side two has the designated list of reportable diseases (2009). Diseases listed with an 
should be reported immediately to Peel Public Health 905-799-7700. The remaining diseases can be reported to Peel Health on the front of this form on a monthly basis by mail or board courier
Refer to the Health Protection and Promotion Act for the most current list of reportable diseases.
Common childhood diseases
Our Childhood Diseases and Illnesses Chart (PDF 280KB) includes:
- A brief description of the cause and symptoms of the disease.
- A description of how the disease is transmitted.
- Precautionary measures to take to reduce the spread of the disease to other people.
- A recommendation regarding exclusion from schools (where applicable).
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