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York Region District School Board

Procedure #NP210.0 Fifth Disease

The Fifth Disease procedure promotes the good health and safety of students and employees and creates conditions for working and learning in which the well-being of staff and students will be supported.

 

On this page:

 

Stakeholder Groups with Responsibilities

  • Director of Education
  • Superintendents
  • Principals and Managers
  • Human Resource Services
  • Health and Safety
  • All Staff

 

Relationship to Board Priorities

This procedure supports staff and student health and well-being.

 

Providing Feedback

Questions about this policy and/or procedure should be raised with your principal, manager or supervisor. If additional clarification is required, principals, managers and supervisors may contact the lead superintendent and/or subject matter expert and Trustee Services.

In accordance with Board Policy 285.0, Board Policies, Procedures and Supporting Documents, the Board welcomes all comments and suggestions on Board policy.

Input is an important component of the review process. If you feel a policy and/or procedure needs to be revised, feedback may be submitted through the school council or by submitting the online form. In your response please:

  • outline clearly the specific section(s) of the policy and/or procedure in which you are not comfortable,
  • suggest specific alternate wording to reflect your position, and
  • identify the reason(s) for your concern(s).

Specific recommendations or questions about the review process should be submitted using the online form or sent to the Policy Officers via email at policy.committee@yrdsb.ca, or via telephone at 905-727-0022 extension 2570 or in hard copy at The Education Centre – Aurora. 

 

It is the expectation of the York Region District School Board that all employees, students and persons invited to or visiting Board property, or partaking/volunteering in Board or school-sponsored events and activities, will respect the policies and procedures of the Board.

 

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Board Procedure #NP210.0, Fifth Disease

This procedure outlines the process for addressing incidents of fifth disease in our schools.

 

1. Procedure Statement 

This procedure outlines the process for addressing incidents of fifth disease in our schools.

 

2. Responsibilities

 

2.1 The Director of Education shall:

  1. allocate staff and resources to support the Fifth Disease procedure.

 

2.2 Human Resource Services – Attendance Support shall:

  1. ensure that appropriate medical documentation to support staff absences is obtained and retained, as required;
  2. ensure that staff members and the school have coded absences correctly; and
  3. inform replacement staff of reported incidents of fifth disease, as required.

 

2.3 Superintendents shall:

  1. identify an alternate work location for the non-immune pregnant staff member, if required; and
  2. monitor the reassignment and ensure appropriate communication between the two principals if a staff member has been reassigned due to a case of fifth disease in their regular work location.

 

2.4 Principals shall:

  1. as part of the school start-up and on a regular basis at staff meetings;
  2. advise pregnant staff members or staff who may be planning to become pregnant to discuss their immunity to the disease with their physicians, and
    • emphasize cleanliness, such as, but not limited to, frequent hand washing, disinfecting toys and instructional materials, cleaning desk and table tops, as the best preventative action;
  3. confirm cases of fifth disease with the student’s parent/guardian;
  4. if there is a confirmed case of fifth disease;
    • immediately post a notice, using the template letter and the YRCHS fact sheet, on the front door of the school, in the front office and in the child care centre to inform staff, students and members of the community that there has been a diagnosed case of fifth disease at the school,
    • if any classes are scheduled to participate in activities at another York Region District School Board location, including, but not limited to outdoor education centres and schools, advise the administrative staff of the confirmed case of fifth disease within the school,
    • advise the STAR operators of the diagnosed case of fifth disease at the school and then record the following voice message on the STAR system by calling 905-727-7071, entering the school’s access ID and pin, and choosing the option to record an announcement: “Please be aware that there is a confirmed case of fifth disease at (name of the school).  If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, please confirm with your physician that you not at risk  before accepting any positions at this school”, and
    • remove the announcement from the STAR system when the school has had no new confirmed cases of fifth disease for 21 calendar days;
  5. if there is a pregnant staff member who is unsure of their immunity status to fifth disease;
  6. advise them to seek advice from a health care professional about any possible risks (a blood test is available to determine whether immunity to the disease),
  7. if sent for a blood test to confirm immunity, consult with the superintendent of schools and immediately offer relocation to a school with no known evidence of fifth disease, pending confirmation of the results,
  8. ensure that they remain at home with pay and no charge to sick leave while waiting for an offer of relocation,
  9. record the absence as fifth disease in STAR while waiting for an offer of relocation, and
  10. once transferred to another location, ensure that the absence is no longer recorded in the STAR system;
  11. if a pregnant staff member does not accept the offer of relocation;
  12. inform them that they may remain at home using sick leave, if available, provided they have a note from a health care professional indicating that that they have been sent for testing and are awaiting results and recommending not returning to any school due to associated health risks,
  13. record the absences as personal illness in the STAR system while they remain at home, and
  14. inform them that if the blood test results indicate immunity to the disease, staff member is to return to regular assignment immediately, unless otherwise indicated by their health care professional;
  15. if a pregnant staff member knows they are not immune to the disease;
  16. assign to work in a school with no known evidence of fifth disease until their school has had no new confirmed cases of fifth disease for 21 calendar days, unless otherwise indicated by their health care professional, and
    • ensure that the absence is not recorded in STAR;
  17. if the pregnant staff member does not accept the alternate work location offered, inform them that they can remain at home using sick leave, if available, if they have medical documentation recommending that they not return to any school due to associated health risks;
  18. inform the Human Resource Services Attendance Representative of any pregnant staff members who are being accommodated through this process;
  19. provide the Human Resource Services Attendance Representative with the medical documentation from the pregnant staff member, if applicable; and
  20. inform a pregnant staff member who knows they are immune to fifth disease that they may continue to work within the school; and
  21. if a student at the school is pregnant, make suitable accommodations, as required, such as, but not limited to, arranging temporary placement at an alternate school.

 

2.5 Managers and supervisors shall:

  1. provide reasonable accommodation to pregnant staff members who have been assigned to work at a location that has a confirmed case of fifth disease. 

 

2.6 Pregnant Staff Members shall:

  1. speak with their principal or manager when they receive notification of a confirmed case of fifth disease at their work location;
  2. if unsure of their immunity status to fifth disease;
    • seek advice from a health care professional about any possible risks (a blood test is available to determine whether immunity to the disease),
    • understand that if sent for the blood test, the principal, in consultation with the superintendent of schools, will immediately offer relocation to a school with no known evidence of fifth disease while they wait for the results, and
    • understand that they will remain at home with pay and no charge to sick leave while waiting for an offer of relocation;
  3. if they do not accept the offer of relocation;
    • understand that they may remain at home using sick leave, if available, provided they have a note from a health care professional recommending that they not return to any school due to associated health risks, and
    • understand that if the blood test results indicate that they are immune to the disease, they are to return to their regular assignments immediately, unless otherwise indicated by a health care professional; and
  4. if they know they are not immune to the disease;
    • understand that they will be assigned by the principal, in consultation with the superintendent of schools, to work in a school with no known evidence of fifth disease until their regular work location has had no new confirmed cases of fifth disease for 21 calendar days, unless otherwise indicated by a health care professional,
  5. if they do not accept the alternate work location offered by the principal, understand they can remain at home using sick leave, if available, if they provide the principal with supporting medical documentation from a health care professional recommending that they not return to any school due to associated health risks, and
    • when visiting other Board locations, note any posted notices indicating the confirmed case of fifth disease at the location.

 

2.7 Staff shall:

  1. immediately notify the principal of any reported diagnosis of fifth disease. 

 

2.8 Pregnant Students shall:

  1. speak with their principal when they see notification of a confirmed case of fifth disease; and
  2. understand that if they are not immune or aware of their immunity to fifth disease, they will be offered suitable accommodations, as required, if there is a confirmed case of fifth disease at their school.

 

3. Definitions

 

3.1 Fifth Disease

Fifth disease is a mild infection most prevalent among young children. York Region Community and Health Services does not classify this illness as a reportable disease and does not track its occurrence.  Its incubation period may range from four to 20 days before a bright red or rosy rash appears on both cheeks for one to three days (“slapped cheek” appearance). It is during the incubation period that this virus is communicable. Students with fifth disease are permitted to attend school even with the rash because the contagious period for this disease occurs before the rash appears. There is no immunization against this disease and it is not treatable. In non-immune pregnant staff member, exposure to this disease may be harmful to the fetus.

 

3.2 Staff Absence Replacement System (STAR)

The Staff Absence Replacement System (STAR) is the Board’s electronic system that tracks staff absences and dispatches replacement staff to work location.

 

4. Contact 

Human Resource Services

 

5. History

Formerly: Standing Memo S154, Fifth Disease (June 2004) 

Approved: April 2009

Working Document: March 2013

Revised: December 2013, January 2025