Guidance
Public health exclusion periods in children and young people's settings
Updated 8 April 2026
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities/public-health-exclusion-periods-in-children-and-young-peoples-settings
A guide for staff in early years and education settings which include nurseries, childminders, preschools and schools.
Find out:
- if an individual or group needs to stay away from the setting and for how long (public health exclusion period)
- when you need to contact your local health protection team
Where there’s no public health exclusion period, infected people can come to the setting and interact with others as usual.
If a child shows signs of harm or risk
If a child shows signs of harm or risk, especially if they are under 13, you should follow local rules and make a safeguarding referral. This is particularly relevant if they present with chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhoea, hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV.
The NHS website has a useful resource to share with parents.
| Infection | Public health exclusion period | When to contact your local health protection team |
|---|---|---|
| Athlete’s foot | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Chickenpox | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 5 days after the rash first appears | Only contact your local health protection team if scarlet fever and chickenpox are circulating at your setting at the same time within the same group |
| Chlamydia | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Cold sores | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Conjunctivitis (pink eye) | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| COVID-19 | Infected people should stay away from the setting if they have more than mild symptoms, for example, a high temperature | Only contact your local health protection team if there’s an unusually high number of absences, or if someone is admitted to hospital because of COVID-19 |
| Cryptosporidiosis | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 2 days after diarrhoea and vomiting has stopped | Only contact your local health protection team if there are 2 or more cases at your setting with similar symptoms who are linked |
| Diarrhoea and vomiting | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 2 days after diarrhoea and vomiting has stopped | Only contact your local health protection team if you need further specialist advice |
| Diphtheria | Infected people should stay away from the setting until it’s been confirmed safe to return by their healthcare professional | Contact your local health protection team |
| E. coli (STEC) | Infected people should stay away from the setting for 2 days, children under 6 should stay away until it’s been confirmed safe to return by their healthcare professional | Contact your local health protection team |
| Flu (influenza) | Infected people should stay away from the setting until they are better and no longer have a temperature | Only contact your local health protection team if there is increasing absence or serious illness |
| Food poisoning | Infected people should stay away until 2 days after diarrhoea and vomiting has stopped | Only contact your local health protection team if there are 2 or more people at your setting with similar symptoms who are linked |
| Genital herpes | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Genital warts and human papillomavirus (HPV) | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Giardiasis | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 2 days after their diarrhoea has stopped. | Only contact your local health protection team if there are 2 or more infected people at your setting who are linked |
| Glandular fever | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Gonorrhoea | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Group A strep (GAS) and invasive group A strep (iGAS) | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 24 hours after they started antibiotics treatment | Only contact your local health protection team if anyone has invasive group A strep |
| Hand, foot and mouth disease | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Head lice (nits) | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Hepatitis A | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 7 days after their symptoms started | Only contact your local health protection team if there are 2 or more infected people at your setting who are linked |
| Hepatitis B | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Hepatitis C | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| HIV | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Impetigo | Infected people should stay away from the setting until all blisters have formed scabs or 2 days after starting antibiotics | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Measles | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 4 days after their rash started | Contact your local health protection team |
| Meningitis and meningococcal meningitis | Infected people should stay away from the setting until they do not have symptoms | Contact your local health protection team |
| MRSA | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Mpox | Infected people should stay away from the setting until their healthcare professional confirms its safe for them to return | Contact your local health protection team |
| Mumps | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 5 days after onset of swelling | Only contact your local health protection team if there’s an outbreak at your setting |
| Norovirus | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 2 days after their diarrhoea and vomiting has stopped | Only contact your local health protection team if you need further specialist advice |
| PVL-SA | Infected people should stay away from the setting if they have any wounds that cannot be covered with a plaster or bandage | Only contact your local health protection team if there are 2 or more cases at your setting |
| Respiratory infections | Infected people should stay away from the setting if they have more than mild symptoms, for example, a high temperature | Only contact your local health protection team if there’s an unusually high number of absences due to respiratory infections or there’s a serious case at your setting |
| Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) | Infected people should stay away from the setting if they have more than mild symptoms, for example, a high temperature | Only contact your local health protection team if there’s an unusually high number of absences or there’s a serious case at your setting |
| Ringworm | Infected people should stay away from the setting until they have started treatment | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Rotavirus | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 2 days after diarrhoea and vomiting has stopped | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Rubella | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 5 days after their rash started | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Scabies | Infected people who are aged 5 and under, or cannot follow the guidance, should stay away from setting until 24 hours after their first treatment | Only contact your local health protection team if there are 2 or more people at your setting with scabies who are linked |
| Scarlet fever | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 24 hours after they started antibiotics treatment | Only contact your local health protection team if scarlet fever, chickenpox, or flu are circulating at your setting within the same group at the same time who are linked |
| Shingles | Infected people should stay away from the setting if their spots cannot be covered or have not formed scabs | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Slapped cheek | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Threadworms | No exclusion required | You do not need to contact your health protection team |
| Tuberculosis (TB) | Infected people with active TB should stay away from the setting until 2 weeks after they started antibiotics treatment | Contact your local health protection team if anyone at your setting has TB or suspected TB |
| Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever | Infected people should stay away from the setting until 2 days after diarrhoea and vomiting has stopped | Contact your local health protection team |
| Whooping cough (pertussis) | Infected people should stay away from the setting until they have taken antibiotics for 2 days, or for 14 days from onset of symptoms if no antibiotics | Only contact your local health protection team if there are more than 2 cases at your setting who are linked |