Infection

Exclusion period

Conjunctivitis

Must not provide resident care for the duration of symptoms (i.e., while eye discharge is present).

Gastroenteritis
 includes:
 - Giardiasis
 - Shigella infection
 - Salmonella infection
 - Campylobacter infection 

Must not come to work while symptomatic (e.g., vomiting and/or diarrhoea) until 48 hours after symptoms have resolved.

IF THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN, EXCLUDE FOR 48 HOURS UNTIL THE CAUSE IS IDENTIFIED.
Employees who have a food-handling role should always be excluded until 48 hours after symptoms have resolved, this includes feeding patients, etc.
Excludes Norovirus — refer to Norovirus

Glandular fever

No need for exclusion, even if having direct resident contact, provided employees are well enough to return to work and apply standard precautions.

Hand, Foot and Mouth disease

Employees should be excluded until all blisters have dried.
Those who have been in contact with someone who has Hand, Foot and Mouth disease do not need to be excluded from work.  However, consideration should be given to those who care for residents who are more susceptible to infection.

Herpes Simplex
 (cold sores)

If there is an exposed herpetic lesion, employees must not provide direct care to neonates, newborns, patients in delivery suites, or residents who are severely immunocompromised, have burns, or have extensive eczema.
They may provide direct patient care to other residents and do not need to wear a mask. However, sores should be covered with a dressing where possible, and hygiene practices should be used to minimise the risk of transmission.

Herpes Zoster
 (shingles)

Must not provide ANY direct resident care if lesions cannot be covered (e.g., ophthalmic zoster).
If active lesions can be covered, they can provide care to all residents except for those who are pregnant, neonates, severely immunocompromised, have burns, or extensive eczema.

Influenza

Employees should remain off work until at least 24 hours after the resolution of fever, provided

They have received 72 hours of anti-influenza medication, or

Five days have elapsed since the onset of respiratory symptoms.

Norovirus

Must not come to work for at least 48 hours after symptoms have resolved (e.g., diarrhea and/or vomiting).

Pertussis

(whooping cough)

Remain away from work until at least five days after the commencement of appropriate antibiotic therapy, or for 21 days after the onset of symptoms if not receiving antibiotic treatment, or 14 days after the onset of paroxysmal cough (if the onset is known).

Scabies and Lice

Employees should remain off work until 24 hours after the first treatment.

Staphylococcal infection

Any staphylococcal lesions (e.g., boils, wound infections) must be covered with occlusive dressing while at work. If lesions cannot be covered, employees must not perform patient care or prepare hospital food until they have received appropriate antibiotic therapy and the infection has resolved.

Streptococcal infection

Any employee with streptococcal lesions (e.g., impetigo, streptococcal tonsillitis) must ensure that lesions are covered with an occlusive dressing while at work. If lesions cannot be covered, employees must not provide direct resident care nor prepare hospital food until 24 hours after the commencement of appropriate antibiotic therapy. 

Employees with pharyngitis/tonsillitis should avoid resident contact for at least 24 hours after starting appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Tuberculosis (TB)

If TB disease is suspected or is present, TB services/public health are to be notified by clinical manager, and the employees are to be treated. Any employees with pulmonary TB are to be excluded from the workplace until cleared by TB services/public health. 

Any active TB must be monitored by TB services/public health.

Viral rashes

Before starting employment, employees should be screened by completing a pre-employment health assessment for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. Non-immune employees should be offered vaccination unless contraindicated.

Measles (rubeola) — If suspected, must remain off work until relevant test results are known. May return to work if they have serological evidence of immunity (i.e., lgG seropositive and IgM seronegative) but must be excluded until four days after the appearance of the rash if they develop measles.

Mumps — If suspected, must remain off work until relevant test results are known. They may return to work if they have serological evidence of immunity (i.e., IgG seropositive and IgM seronegative). If mumps develop, they must be excluded from work for nine days after the onset of parotid gland swelling or until the swelling goes down

Rubella (German Measles) — If suspected, must remain off work until the relevant test results are known. They may return to work if they have a serological test of immunity (i.e. IgG seropositive and IgM seronegative). If they develop rubella, they must be excluded for at least four days after the appearance of the rash.

Chickenpox (varicella) — If employees develop varicella, they must be excluded until all blisters have dried (this usually takes five days from the appearance of the last blister).

Human Parvovirus B19 (Slapped Face) — Does not require exclusion from work, non-infectious once rash develops.

Viral Respiratory Tract infections

 (e.g., the common cold)

Employees should be excluded from contact with susceptible residents until they are no longer symptomatic.
Employees workers with viral respiratory tract infections should stay home until they feel well.