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Infectious Diseases in Child Care and School Settings

en español
school children

Guidelines for Child Care Providers and Health Consultants, School Nurses and Other Personnel


Acknowledgements

These guidelines were created by the Communicable Disease Branch of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment with the help of many subject matter experts both within the department and partner agencies. 

We strive to keep them up to date and accurate. Please report any broken links, questions, and suggestions to cdphe_covid_school_childcare@state.co.us.

These guidelines are not a substitute for the School and Child Care Facility Health and Sanitation Regulations.

  Child care regulations         School regulations

 

  Summary chart

DateDescription of changesPages/sections affected
2012Major revision to content and format; combine previous separate guidance documents for child care and schools into one documentThroughout
Dec. 2014Updated web links due to CDPHE website change; updated several formatting issues; added hyperlinks to table of contents; no content changesThroughout
May 2015Added updated FERPA letter from the CO Dept of Education; added links to additional info to the animal contact section in the introduction; added new bleach concentration disinfection guidanceIntroduction
Oct. 2015Corrected reporting information for aseptic meningitisAseptic Meningitis
Jan. 2016Added information on animals in child care centers; updated bleach recommendations and EPA cleaners link; ensured that these guidelines are consistent with the new child care center regulations; updated reportable disease list; guidance on Clostridium difficileIntroduction, various sections
July 2019Update content throughout; add guidance for parents/caregivers; add sections for tick borne illness and tularemiaThroughout
Jan. 2020Clarify disinfection and sanitation guidance; align measles incubation period language with Communicable Disease Manual; simplify STEC and Shigella exclusion language 
March 2022Updated content throughout; added guidance for SARS-CoV-2 Disease (COVID-19) to align with CDPHE website school guidance; updated bleach concentrationsThroughout
September 2022Added guidance on mpoxMpox
December 2023Updated respiratory illness chapters to align with new guidelines, prevention and treatment optionsCommon cold, Croup, Influenza, and RSV
February 2024Updated chapter on cytomegalovirus to remove dated informationCytomegalovirus
April 2024Updated respiratory illness chapters to align with CDC’s revised guidance for viral respiratory illnesses.Common cold, COVID-19, Croup, Influenza, and RSV
July 2024Updated content throughout; added new section on CyclosporaThroughout
August 2024Updated COVID-19 reporting requirements to align with current practice and expectations.COVID-19
October 2024Updated vaccine-preventable conditions to align with current guidelines and add information about immunizations.  Throughout
February 2025Updated the reportable communicable diseases and conditions table and the section on animal bites to align with rule changes. Public health reporting requirement and animal bites/bat exposures/rabies sections.
March 2025Updated to align with recent Board of Health changes to disease reporting requirements. COVID-19, CMV
April 2025Added a new resource, What You Can Do Now to Prepare for Measles to the list of resources in the measles chapterMeasles
May 2025Updated the general section on disease prevention to align with recent child care rule changes. Added clarity to the Clostridiodes difficile section. Disease prevention: facility environment and C. diff sections.
August 2025Recommendations for exclusion of children with fever was clarified to align with other resources.Exclusion guidelines summary chart. 

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