[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Health of the Town of Dalton 4-1-2002.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of these rules is to provide a guideline for the legal reporting
of communicable diseases as required by the Massachusetts Department of Public
Health (MDPH).
These rules shall be applicable to the Board of Health staff.
Infectious diseases designated as dangerous to the public health must
be reported directly to the local Board of Health. Local Boards or their designees
are authorized to accept, investigate and submit reportable disease information
to the MDPH, Bureau of Communicable Control. In Massachusetts, reporting of
communicable disease is required under the General Laws and implemented by
regulation under CMR Chapter 105 Section 300.
A.
Reports mailed to the local Boards of Health shall be
opened by a designated person and faxed to the BVNA PHN (public health nurse)
immediately. A telephone call to notify the BVNA that confidential material
has been sent should be made. All possible precautions to maintain confidentially
should be followed.
B.
Upon receipt of report the PHN will notify MDPH immediately
by telephone as required, if the reported disease is designated as a top priority
threat to public health. If the reported disease is not listed as a top priority
the MDPH is notified by mail within 24 hours on the MDPH form provided. The
top-priority disease should also be reported as soon as possible to the local
Select Board or Board of Health.
C.
The PHN then contacts the case's MD to confirm diagnosis
and to obtain necessary laboratory documentation or other facts required for
the completion of the report form.
D.
The case (or guardian) is then contacted by telephone
to collect required information. A home visit is made only when deemed appropriate
by the PHN or the MDPH epidemiologist. The case and/or family are given information
at this time regarding the cause and prevention of the communicable disease.
Often information is also sent in the mail to provide further education.
E.
If the case or a household contact of the case attends
or is employed by a day-care center, or is a food handler, isolation and quarantine
requirements are enforced. The employer or the day-care center is notified
by the PHN.
F.
The report form provided by MDPH for the specific disease
is completed and mailed to MDPH as soon as necessary information has been
obtained. Timeliness of reporting is always a priority.
G.
Collaboration with school nurses or Town health agents
is done as appropriate. School nurse supervisors should be notified as soon
as possible of a communicable disease of a student. The Town health agent
is notified when more than one case of food-borne illness occurs related to
specific restaurant or deli in that Town. The health agent would be notified
if more than one case appears to have contracted communicable disease at a
local day-care or assisted living/nursing home in that Town. Other possible
events requiring notification of the health agent would be reports of waterborne
illness in Town, post-exposure rabies treatment or swimming facilities that
may require inspection relating to communicable disease threat.
H.
Regular reports of all communicable diseases investigated
are made to the Board of Health and/or Select Board quarterly in writing by
the PHN at BVNA.
