§ Mr. GreenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has given to schools in respect of outbreaks of meningitis. [74234]
§ Ms JowellLocal outbreaks of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia are managed by local Consultants in Communicable Disease Control who, in conjunction with any outbreak control team, are responsible for providing advice and information to schools and to parents and for organising any local action in the event of a case of meningococcal disease. Guidance on handling outbreaks in schools was published in the Public Health Laboratory Service's Communicable Disease Report on 10 January 1997, copies of which are available in the Library.
The Department's public education programme provides reliable factual information for parents and young people on spotting meningococcal infection, including how to do the "glass test" to check rashes, through a Departmental leaflet entitled "Knowing about meningitis and septicaemia", available from general practitioners' surgeries. The Department also funds the Health Education Authority to produce public information about meningococcal disease, including a tailor-made leaflet for students called "Look out for your mate" (of which around 1 million copies were distributed through universities and colleges last year), the booklet "A Guide to Childhood Immunisations", which goes to parents of new born children, and a book "Birth to Five" given to new parents. In addition the Department collaborates with the two meningitis charities, the National Meningitis Trust and the Meningitis Research Foundation, to raise public and professional awareness.