10A NCAC 46 .0214          COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL

(a)  A local health department shall provide services and perform activities for the control of communicable disease within the jurisdiction of the local health department.  A local health department shall establish, implement, and maintain written policies which shall include a description of the procedures for communicable disease control services and activities provided by the local health department which shall include:

(1)           General Communicable Disease Control:

(A)          Reporting communicable diseases as required by law.  Additionally, cases of vaccine‑preventable diseases shall be reported to the designated division program representative within 24 hours of receipt of the report.

(B)          Investigating any outbreaks of a reportable communicable disease within the jurisdiction of the local health department to determine the cause of the outbreak and to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to arrest the outbreak and prevent its recurrence.

(C)          Investigating each case of a communicable disease for which there is a surveillance form supplied by the Department.  Forms shall be completed and submitted to the Department.

(D)          Distributing communicable disease report cards with instructions for submission to all pediatricians, internists, and family or general practitioners practicing within the jurisdiction of the local health department.

(2)           Tuberculosis Control:

(A)          Tuberculosis diagnostic and follow‑up services for cases, contacts, and suspects which include:

(i)            Medical and epidemiological history;

(ii)           Assessment of blood pressure, weight, urinalysis, if indicated, and visual acuity and color discrimination, if indicated;

(iii)          Special investigations, such as Mantoux skin test, chest x‑ray, mycobacteriology, and other investigations as indicated.

(B)          Tuberculosis treatment services which include:

(i)            Provision of anti‑tuberculosis drugs as medically prescribed;

(ii)           Monthly monitoring of intake and for adverse side effects of anti‑tuberculosis drugs by office visit, home visit, or telephone;

(iii)          Coordination and communication with private medical providers.

(3)           Immunization:

(A)          Providing resources to ensure that all children within the jurisdiction of the local health department receive all vaccines required by law within the time frames established by law.

(B)          Providing vaccines in clinics, with at least one each month accessible to working parents.

(C)          Enforcing the immunization law pertaining to day‑care facilities, including submitting the immunization records audit form.

(D)          Assisting local school officials in enforcing the immunization law pertaining to public and private schools (k‑12).

(E)           Ensuring accountability for all doses of vaccine provided by the Division.

(4)           Venereal Disease Control:

(A)          Diagnostic testing and examination services for syphilis and gonorrhea shall be available each weekday;

(B)          Treatment services, both therapeutic and preventive, for reportable venereal disease shall be available each weekday;

(C)          Counseling and education designed to influence disease intervention and prevention behaviors, particularly that designed to enlist patient cooperation in referring sex partners for examination and treatment, shall be available each weekday;

(D)          Follow‑up and referral of persons with positive venereal disease laboratory tests shall be available each weekday.

(b)  A local health department shall establish, implement, and maintain written policies for the provision of communicable disease control education services to the community, health care personnel, and patients.  The services shall include provision of clinic schedules, information on communicable disease reporting, and other communicable disease control information to local medical organizations, veterinarians, animal control officers, health care providers, and the media, as appropriate.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A‑9;

Eff. October 1, 1984;

Transferred and Recodified from 10 NCAC 12 .0240 Eff. April 4, 1990;

Amended Eff. September 1, 1990;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. January 5, 2016.