Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Infectious Diseases and Public Health

Infectious Diseases and Public Health Infectious Diseases and Public Health

Subtopics

Distance Learning Information about Distance Learning In-Person Learning Information about In-Person Learning Physical Spacing and Testing Information about Physical Spacing and Testing Sanitation and Ventilation Information about Sanitation and Ventilation

Maintain healthy and sustainable learning environments.

Schools play a critical role in promoting the health and well-being of children and adolescents. They support students’ cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development; provide access to critical health services; and help students establish lifelong healthy behaviors. Safe and healthy learning environments and access to health education programs and services can reduce negative risk factors among youth and increase students’ capacity to learn.

Schools should also have plans in place that can help reduce illness and illness-related absenteeism by preventing the spread of infectious diseases. While infectious disease outbreaks and public health emergencies may be unpredictable, K-12 schools can implement a core set of prevention strategies as part of their normal operations. These include promoting proper handwashing; cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting surfaces and objects; improving indoor air quality; teaching and reinforcing respiratory etiquette; and promoting equitable access to vaccinations. When there is a higher level of illness in the school or surrounding community, schools can work with their local public health partners to implement additional prevention strategies. Schools can also prepare for outbreaks or a pandemic by creating an emergency operations plan with an infectious disease section, which outlines the actions necessary to reduce the impact of the outbreak.

Filter Resources

All Infectious Diseases and Public Health Resources

Access additional resources below to learn more about infectious diseases and public health and related best practices. Use the filters to sort resources based on subtopic and/or preparedness action.

Guidance
Infectious Diseases and Public Health
Operational Considerations for Schools

Department of Health and Human Services, January 2021

This document provides suggestions for mitigating risks for COVID-19 transmission in schools in low-resource, international settings and describes considerations associated with each mitigation measure, including considerations for secondary impacts such as food insecurity and exposure to violence and for students who are at high-risk for dropping out of school, so that schools may safely resume and sustain operations.

Webpage
Infectious Diseases and Public Health
Responding to COVID-19: School Mental Health

Department of Health and Human Services, 2021

Public health emergencies such as COVID-19 have a significant impact on students and their families, educators and the school mental health workforce, as well as the school mental health system. The Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network recognizes this and is available to assist the school mental health workforce by providing training and technical assistance.

Was this page helpful?