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Code: GANA/JGCC

160-1-3-.03 INFECTIOUS DISEASES

(1) DEFINITIONS.

(a) Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – a major operating

component of the United States Department of Health and Human Services with

responsibilities at the national level for monitoring health, detecting and investigating

health problems.

(b) Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)-Federal legislation

applicable to all educational institutions receiving Federal Funds that protects the

privacy of students’ personally identifiable information

(c) Infectious Disease-an illness due to an infectious agent, or its toxic products,

which is transmitted directly or indirectly to a person from an infected person or

animal.

(d) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)-any type of face mask, glove, or

clothing that acts as a barrier between infectious materials and the skin, mouth, nose,

or eyes.

(e) Local Education Agency (LEA) – a local school system pursuant to local board of

education control and management.

(f) Standard Precautions-a set of precautions designed to prevent the transmission of

infectious diseases which include, but not limited to, hand washing procedures, use of

protective gloves, and directives on covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.

(g) Tasks With Exposure Potential- tasks associated with the evaluation and treatment of

students with actual or potential infections.

(2) REQUIREMENTS.

(a) LEAs shall develop polices, regulations, and procedures related to the impact of

infectious diseases on school system management and operations.

(b) LEAs shall annually provide employees with information, education, or training related

to infectious diseases, including transmission, risk education, and standard precautions, based

on CDC guidelines or recommendations.

(c) LEAs shall make personal protective equipment (PPE) readily available and appropriate

to tasks with exposure potential.

(d) Where LEAs have reasonable suspicion to believe that an employee or student has an

infectious disease, school authorities shall counsel that person immediately, or if the person is

a minor, notify his or her parent or guardian of the need to obtain an appropriate medical

evaluation.

160-1-3-.03 (Continued)

(e) Operational decisions related to employees or students infected with communicable

diseases shall be made in conjunction with the school nurse, state and/or local public health

agency representatives, health care professionals, and school system administrators.

(f) Each LEA shall limit the disclosure of health-related information of its employees and

students. FERPA prohibits the unauthorized disclosure of information from educational

records except in certain limited circumstances, such as a health and safety emergency as

described in 34 C.F.R. §§ 99.31(a) (10) and 99.36. Additionally, the disclosure of certain

confidential health information may be a misdemeanor punishable under O.C.G.A. § 24-9-47.

Authority: O.C.G.A § 20-2-240

Adopted: October 12, 2011 Effective: November 1, 2011