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Protect schools and communities during a public health crisis.

Schools must be prepared to respond to sudden infectious disease outbreaks and other public health concerns and emergencies. Sustaining safe in-person learning, ensuring proper hygiene, and managing daily operations are all important for keeping a safe and secure school environment amid a health crisis.

Schools are an important part of the infrastructure of communities. They provide safe and supportive learning environments for students that support social and emotional development, provide access to critical services, and improve life outcomes. Schools should work with local public health officials, consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including those related to privacy, to determine additional prevention strategies needed in their area by monitoring levels of community transmission and local vaccine coverage, and use of screening testing to detect cases in K-12 schools during public health emergencies.

Use the filter below to sort resources available based upon stages of preparedness and subtopic.

Featured Resources

These resources are a starting point for learning about infectious diseases and public health. Use these resources to help your school manage and respond to an infectious disease outbreak and promote safe public health. Members of the school community can also download this SchoolSafety.gov infographic to learn more about everyday preventive actions and access a sampling of infectious diseases and public health resources.

Webpage
Infectious Diseases and Public Health
Seasonal Flu: Information for Schools & Childcare Providers

Department of Health and Human Services

This webpage provides information, materials, and tools to help reduce the spread of seasonal flu among students and staff in K-12 schools and also links to resources on common flu topics for school administrators, school staff, and parents.

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All Infectious Diseases and Public Health Resources

The federal government identified additional resources that highlight strategies for school safety. Use these resources to learn more about infectious diseases and public health.

Guidance
Infectious Diseases and Public Health
Promising Practices and Approaches to Support Remote Learning

Department of Education, 2020

When schools are forced to shutter their doors because of natural phenomena, remote learning takes on added importance. Recent school closures because of COVID-19 have highlighted the need for a better understanding of the most promising remote learning strategies when there are no classroom alternatives. We reviewed 110 studies on the effectiveness of remote learning practices in K-12 settings.

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