Welcome
Welcome to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's Infection Prevention & Control Toolkit for Schools. This comprehensive resource is designed to provide educational institutions with evidence-based strategies and practical guidance to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases in school settings. By implementing these recommended measures, schools can create safer, healthier environments for students, staff, and visitors. This toolkit consolidates and updates our previous guidance, offering the latest information on best practices for infection prevention, including but not limited to COVID-19. We encourage school administrators, teachers, and staff to use this toolkit as a primary reference for developing and maintaining effective infection prevention protocols tailored to their specific needs and circumstances.
Guidance for Schools: Common Signs & Symptoms
Below are suggestions for when to keep your child home when they are not feeling well. Contact a health care provider if your child needs medical care. This document is intended to support decision-making for schools and childcare centers when an individual child is displaying signs and symptoms of illness. A doctor’s note is generally not required to return to school or child care. For more information, please visit the CDPH guidance page.
Importantly, this document:
- does not replace the advice of a licensed healthcare provider, nor does it revise guidance related to an individual child’s known medical condition or existing IEP, Section 504 plan, or IFSP plan.
- is not a diagnostic tool. Related symptoms may inform exclusion decisions, but school staff should not attempt to diagnose.
- does not replace or revise applicable laws or other requirements.
- does not address specific disease outbreaks, when recommendations and public health requirements for exclusion may be more strict.
- is limited to consideration of symptoms as evidence of infection, and does not include considerations for other causes of symptoms such as allergies, toxin exposure, and child abuse or neglect.
- should be used within the context of an individual student's health and behavior history.
Symptom Guidance Chart for Children
Symptom Guidance Cover Letter
Disease-Specific Reporting Requirements & Resources
Suspected outbreaks of any disease must be reported to Public Health immediately. Reach out to LAC DPH for consultation in instances of unusual clusters or more severe illness, even if they don't meet the reporting thresholds, by calling (888) 397-3993 or (213) 240-7821.
Below are the reporting requirements and resources for communicable diseases that commonly occur in education and childcare settings. A PDF version is available in English and Spanish.
If outbreak criteria for a disease is met, it must be reported to Public Health. Additionally, some diseases may require reporting of individual cases. For comprehensive disease reporting requirements in LA County, view the LAC DPH Reportable Diseases and Conditions List.
Exposed Group: The exposed group (sometimes referred to as an epidemiologically-linked group) includes individuals who were together in the same location when at least one person was contagious. In educational settings, this could mean students and/or teachers in the same classroom or athletic team who become ill around the same time. These situations suggest that the disease spread among these people is due to their shared environment rather than random transmission from outside.
Best Practices to Prevent Illness in Education Settings
Vaccination
Vaccines are safe, effective tools that protect against a wide range of serious diseases, including COVID-19, influenza, measles, and whooping cough. By stimulating the body's natural immune defenses, vaccines reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Widespread vaccination not only safeguards individuals but also helps prevent disease transmission within communities.
Vaccination Resources
Ventilation
Enhancing indoor air quality is a simple, cost-effective strategy to reduce airborne disease transmission. Ensure proper maintenance of your HVAC system and consider these easy improvements:
- Add portable high-efficiency air filters
- Increase fresh outdoor air by opening windows and doors when possible
- Move activities outdoors when weather permits.
These measures can significantly decrease the spread of airborne viruses with minimal effort and expense.
Ventilation Resources
Masks
Masks are effective tools for preventing the spread of many respiratory illnesses, not just COVID-19. We encourage wearing a mask when experiencing any symptoms of respiratory infection, regardless of the cause. This simple practice can significantly reduce disease transmission in educational settings. Note: Children under 2 should not wear masks.
Mask Resources
Cleaning, disinfecting, and hygiene
Regularly cleaning surfaces helps prevent the spread of germs that make people sick. Facilities should regularly clean frequently touched surfaces and objects such as door handles, desks, and shared classroom toys.
Hand hygiene is essential to prevent the spread of germs and infections. Ensure handwashing sinks are stocked with soap and provide hand sanitizer in high-touch areas (near door-knobs, sign-in sheets, etc.) and encourage regular handwashing. Educate young children on effective handwashing techniques as well as appropriate cough/sneeze etiquette.
Hygiene Resources
Testing
Testing plays a key role in managing infectious diseases in schools. For COVID-19, schools can promote the use of readily available at-home tests, enabling quick detection and informed decision-making. For other illnesses, schools can provide information on local testing resources.
Testing Resources
Communication and planning
Educating students, staff, and families about infection prevention is vital for maintaining a healthy environment. Integrating infection prevention into emergency operations plans enables schools to act quickly when outbreaks occur. Maintaining consistent, open communication with families and staff helps ensure cooperation and collaboration.
Communication Resources
Additional Resources
Symptom Guidance for Schools: Common Signs & Symptoms
Back to School Handout for Parents
Ventilation Guidance: 6 Steps to Cleaner Air
COVID-19 Community Guidelines
Guidance for COVID-19 and Acute Respiratory Illness in Education Settings
RespWatch: Viral Respiratory Surveillance for LA County
COVID-19 & ARI Cluster Reporting
