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In NJ, we don't have a systemic way of collecting school illness data. As schools begin to open we are continuing discussions about the best ways to collect this information, and what information should be included.
What data is your health department either currently collecting, or planning to collect, regarding schools (e.g., absenteeism, children/staff sent home, children/staff being quarantined)?
How will you be collecting those data?
Any other suggestions/questions/comments?
Thanks. Ed
Comments & Events
Jennifer Miller
In Montana, we have a system set up for several years now to identify Key Surveillance Partners (KSPs) through the public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) grant. During the school year, the local health jurisdiction has the leeway to identify how they want to perform surveillance with that particular school. Most do absenteeism data with notes on signs and symptoms. The quality of the data varies greatly, usually with the level of buy-in the school has regarding the value of disease surveillance. Schools are required reporters for suspected or confirmed reportable disease under the Administrative Rules of Montana.
Regarding children and staff being quarantined and what communications are allowed, we have laws here that prohibit a great deal of sharing information to entities outside of public health. If there is a school nurse present, our laws allow sharing with them as they are considered under law as a continuation of care for quarantined or isolated individuals in the school. If there are no medical staff present in the facility, we have to ask for permission from the patient to share information with the school. Most times, it is given based on past outbreaks such as mumps, pertussis, etc. COVID may be a different animal in that regard.
We do not currently have plans to centralize that collection of data. It will be kept on a local basis for now.
Jen R. Miller, RN, CPH Communicable Disease Nurse Consultant Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Bureau PO Box 202951 | 1400 Broadway | Helena MT 59620-2951 406.444.3165 | fax 406.444.0272 jennifer.miller@mt.gov<mailto:jennifer.miller@mt.gov>
In Colorado we're collecting data on schools in three ways:
First, our outbreak line lists for schools have specific additional data fields for schools, such as transmission setting, mask use, and any household transmission.
Second, we are prospectively gathering information on practices such as cohorting, masking, spacing, and ventilation in different schools, and comparing their outcomes.
Third, we are asking schools to send us absentee data among students and staff, along with information about illness, class sizes, and other information.
The leads of all these projects would be interested in sharing our methods with other states, I'm sure.
Regarding children and staff being quarantined and what communications are allowed, we have laws here that prohibit a great deal of sharing information to entities outside of public health. If there is a school nurse present, our laws allow sharing with them as they are considered under law as a continuation of care for quarantined or isolated individuals in the school. If there are no medical staff present in the facility, we have to ask for permission from the patient to share information with the school. Most times, it is given based on past outbreaks such as mumps, pertussis, etc. COVID may be a different animal in that regard.
We do not currently have plans to centralize that collection of data. It will be kept on a local basis for now.
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Jen R. Miller, RN, CPH
Communicable Disease Nurse Consultant
Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Bureau
PO Box 202951 | 1400 Broadway | Helena MT 59620-2951
406.444.3165 | fax 406.444.0272
jennifer.miller@mt.gov<mailto:jennifer.miller@mt.gov>
Follow us on
[cid:image002.jpg@01D49CFB.4EE4F860]<https://www.facebook.com/HEALTH406/>
Visit us at: https://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/cdepi
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First, our outbreak line lists for schools have specific additional data fields for schools, such as transmission setting, mask use, and any household transmission.
Second, we are prospectively gathering information on practices such as cohorting, masking, spacing, and ventilation in different schools, and comparing their outcomes.
Third, we are asking schools to send us absentee data among students and staff, along with information about illness, class sizes, and other information.
The leads of all these projects would be interested in sharing our methods with other states, I'm sure.