32.1-48.01 - Definitions. - Virginia Statutes

§ 32.1-48.01. Definitions.

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Appropriate precautions" means those specific measures which have beendemonstrated by current scientific evidence to assist in preventingtransmission of a communicable disease of public health significance.Appropriate precautions will vary according to the disease.

"At-risk behavior" means engaging in acts which a person, who has beeninformed that he is infected with a communicable disease of public healthsignificance, knows may infect other persons without taking appropriateprecautions to protect the health of the other persons.

"Communicable disease of public health significance" means an illness ofpublic health significance, as determined by the State Health Commissioner,caused by a specific or suspected infectious agent that may be transmitteddirectly or indirectly from one individual to another.

"Communicable disease of public health significance" shall include, but maynot be limited to, infections caused by human immunodeficiency viruses,blood-borne pathogens, and tubercle bacillus. The State Health Commissionermay determine that diseases caused by other pathogens constitute communicablediseases of public health significance. Further, "a communicable disease ofpublic health significance" shall become a "communicable disease of publichealth threat" upon the finding of the State Health Commissioner ofexceptional circumstances pursuant to Article 3.02 (§ 32.1-48.05 et seq.) ofthis chapter.

(1990, c. 958; 2004, cc. 773, 1021.)