Pinellas County Schools Infectious Disease Incident Preparation and Response Checklists

Infectious Disease Preparation and Response Procedures
MITIGATION/PREVENTION is important for infectious disease situations. This phase recommends thinking ahead with
the understanding that infectious diseases may, at some point, be an issue. By taking a few preliminary steps
and activities, when it comes time to act, your school/site will be ready to respond.
The following guidelines will assist you in this phase:
 Keep abreast of news related to any infectious disease outbreaks – includes local, national and
international outbreaks. News media reports are a good starting point, but accessing the public health
department sites (e.g., CDC, state and local sites) is recommended.
 Assign a staff member to be the infectious disease coordinator for your school/site. No special training
or qualifications are needed at this point – just an understanding of the basic principles of
communication, general disease control procedures and the willingness to be a proactive member of
the team is all that is required.
 Obtain and keep a stock of supplies to combat infectious diseases (e.g., tissues, hand sanitizing soap,
sanitizing sprays/wipes to clean surfaces, face masks, etc.).
 Train staff on general cleanliness and disease control activities and methods (e.g., washing hands often
and properly, use of tissues for sneezing – along with proper disposal, disinfecting surfaces, etc.).
 Your “GO BOX” is supplied and in place in the event a move is required.
 First aid kits are properly supplied.
 You have identified areas of the school/site that can be used as isolation areas, if segregation of
students/staff becomes necessary.
In addition, the following checklist – Staged Actions for Communicable Disease Outbreak – is an excellent
starting tool for your plans.
Staged Actions for Communicable Disease Outbreak
Outbreak Stage School Actions Area Actions District Actions

Sporadic – Communicable Increase hand washing Watch for cluster
disease identified in protocols, cough & sneeze outbreaks in students and
isolated schools at no more coverage reinforcement. staff.
than usual rate of illness Notify parents of current and
absence future actions.
Local – Communicable Desks, tables, and other Confer with Department Watch for reports of cluster
disease present in some common-use fixtures and of Health in Pinellas outbreaks in Food Services,
schools at higher than supplies to be wiped with County Epidemiology. Bus Drivers, Teachers &
normal absence rates disinfectant between Notify parents of current Administrators.
students. and future actions.
Regional – Communicable Limit student contact: Provide logistical support Confer with Department of
disease present in many No large groups, cancel class- to affected schools, Health in Pinellas County
schools at or above usual changing, no common-area including hand sanitizer, on criteria for closing
absence rates for illness exposures i.e. cafeteria. surface disinfectant schools.
School bus handrails and supplies, and disposable Notify parents of current
seats to be wiped with face masks for staff with and future actions.
disinfectant between routes. close person-to-person
contact.
Widespread – Report epidemiology Gather final Some or all schools and
Communicable disease numbers at beginning of day epidemiological numbers other public venues closed
present in virtually all and after noon to Area from schools. at direction of FL Dept. of
schools at higher than Offices. Health.
normal absence rates
In the MITIGATION/PREPARATION phase, your site is experiencing, or may experience, an infectious disease.
This is the time to verify that all of your plans, ICS teams and supplies are ready to go.
The following checklist will assist in your preparation to handle the incident:
Status Category Comments
Identify an infectious disease
 Complete  Not Complete coordinator and provide defined
role and responsibilities.
Ensure that your ICS team

roster is up-to-date and, if
 Complete  Not Complete
appropriate, brief them on the
current situation.
Check that sanitizing and

Suggested resource –
disease control supplies are well
 Complete  Not Complete infectious disease
stocked and guide staff on how
coordinator and/or HPO.
to use.
Instruct students on hand

washing techniques, use of Suggested resources:
sanitizing soaps and proper District Health Education;
techniques when School Health Services.
coughing/sneezing.
The infectious disease

Develop and disseminate coordinator may consider
materials and procedures working with:
covering infectious disease  District Health
control fundamentals (e.g., signs
 Complete  Not Complete Education
and symptoms, modes of
 School Health
transmission, hand-hygiene,
Services
respiratory hygiene and cough
 CDC website
etiquette, etc.)
 FL DOH website
Keep area and district staff

informed on attendance and
status of student/staff
population.
Consider developing plans to Suggested resources:

limit access to visitors and
 Complete  Not Complete  Risk Management
outside vendors and
 Schools Police
contractors.
Your RESPONSE to any infectious disease outbreak should include the following activities:
Status Category Comments
Suggested resource:
Activate the ICS Team for your
 Complete  Not Complete  School Emergency
school/site
Plan Part 2
Infectious Disease Coordinator

should take control of all
 Complete  Not Complete infectious disease control
supplies and make them
available as needed.
Implement guidelines to modify

the frequency and type of face- Suggested resource:
to-face contact (e.g.,  Risk Management
handshaking, meetings, etc.).
Identify employees and students

with special needs and
incorporate the requirements of
such persons into your plans
and responses.
Consider limiting access to

 Complete  Not Complete visitors and outside vendors and
contractors.
Suggested resources:
Establish procedures to have  DOH – Pinellas County
infected students and staff sent  Student Health
 Complete  Not Complete Services
home to help limit the spread of
disease – if appropriate.  Human Resources
 Directors of Operations
(Area Office)
Establish procedures to limit
 Complete  Not Complete outside school/site travel and
outside visitors.
The ICS team is extremely important during the RECOVERY phase; as they are the teams that will assess what
recovery-oriented actions need to be taken. Such actions, depending on the severity of the incident, might
include the need for counseling services (from Student Services), letters to parents, media releases, etc.

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Infectious Disease Preparation and Response Procedures

Outbreak Stage School Actions Area Actions District Actions

Ensure that your ICS team

Check that sanitizing and

Instruct students on hand

The infectious disease

Keep area and district staff

Consider developing plans to Suggested resources:

Infectious Disease Coordinator

Implement guidelines to modify

Identify employees and students

Consider limiting access to

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