22.1-271.3 - Guidelines for school attendance for children infected with human immunodeficiency virus; school personnel training required; notification of school personnel in certain cases. - Virginia Statutes

§ 22.1-271.3. Guidelines for school attendance for children infected withhuman immunodeficiency virus; school personnel training required;notification of school personnel in certain cases.

A. The Board of Education, in cooperation with the Board of Health, shalldevelop, and revise as necessary, model guidelines for school attendance forchildren infected with human immunodeficiency virus. The first suchguidelines shall be completed by December 1, 1989. The Board shall distributecopies of these guidelines to each division superintendent and every schoolboard member in the Commonwealth immediately following completion.

B. Each school board shall, by July 1, 1990, adopt guidelines for schoolattendance for children with human immunodeficiency virus. Such guidelinesshall be consistent with the model guidelines for such school attendancedeveloped by the Board of Education.

C. Every school board shall ensure that all school personnel having directcontact with students receive appropriate training in the etiology,prevention, transmission modes, and effects of blood-borne pathogens,specifically, hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency viruses or any otherinfections that are the subject of regulations promulgated by the Safety andHealth Codes Board of the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Programwithin the Department of Labor and Industry.

D. Upon notification by a school employee who believes he has been involvedin a possible exposure-prone incident which may have exposed the employee tothe blood or body fluids of a student, the division superintendent shallcontact the local health director who, upon immediate investigation of theincident, shall determine if a potentially harmful exposure has occurred andmake recommendations, based upon all information available to him, regardinghow the employee can reduce any risks from such exposure. The divisionsuperintendent shall share these recommendations with the school employee.Except as permitted by § 32.1-45.1, the division superintendent and theschool employee shall not divulge any information provided by the localhealth director regarding such student. The information provided by the localhealth director shall be subject to any applicable confidentialityrequirements set forth in Chapter 2 (§ 32.1-35 et seq.) of Title 32.1.

(1989, c. 613; 1997, c. 685; 2003, c. 1.)