Students and staff may be exposed to a variety of communicable diseases in school and childcare settings.
If a student or school staff member is sick, please have them stay home to help break the chain of infection.
Learn how to protect yourself, your family, and your community from respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19, influenza (the flu) or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Link at Protection from respiratory illnesses | ontario.ca
If a child, student, or staff member is experiencing any of the following symptoms, they should stay home and not attend school or child care:
- Fever of 38.0°C or higher – stay home until the fever is gone and feeling better for at least 24 hours
- Respiratory symptoms that are new or unusual – stay home for a minimum of 24 hours (including cough, runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, and shortness of breath)
- Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea – stay home for 48 hours after symptoms stop
What to do
- Report multiple illnesses: Complete the Illness Tracking Sheet – Appendix A
- Call our team if you are unsure or need support managing an outbreak.
- Review cleaning, isolation, and return protocols in the resources below.
- Download the outbreak notification form
Need to report another disease or illness? Contact our Infectious Disease Team:
- Brantford-Brant: Phone 519‑751‑4937 | Fax 519‑753‑9127
- Haldimand-Norfolk: Phone 519‑900‑9600 | Fax 519‑805‑3269
We provide downloadable resources and reporting forms for the public, schools, child care centres, healthcare providers, and community organizations. These resources support infection prevention, education, and reporting requirements.
- Managing Illness in Child Care Settings (Disclosure guide)
- Immunization Requirements for School & Child Care (Ontario)
Cleaning Up Body Fluids Safely
How to safely clean after vomiting, diarrhoea, or other body‑fluid spills.
When to Send Children Home
Appendix A provides guidance on illness symptoms that require exclusion from school or child care.
Common Childhood Illnesses Poster
A visual guide to symptoms, return‑to‑care timelines, and what to do when exposed to chickenpox, head lice, and more.