Skip to main content

Hawaii Isolation and Control Requirements

(Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 11-156)

Any person informed by the department, a private physician, or hospital that he or she has or is suspected of having a communicable disease for which isolation is required, shall remain isolated in the manner prescribed by the department of health. Isolation shall include exclusion from school and workplace, and restriction from food handling and direct care occupations. It is the responsibility of the principal or director in charge of a school to prohibit any student diagnosed or suspected of having a communicable disease for which isolation is required from attending school until the expiration of the prescribed period of isolation. Parents, guardians, custodians or any other person in loco parentis shall not permit any child diagnosed or suspected of having a communicable disease for which isolation is required to attend school or to be present at any public gatherings until the expiration of the prescribed period of isolation. No person diagnosed or suspected of having a communicable disease for which isolation is required shall engage in any employment in which transmission of disease is likely to occur until the expiration of the prescribed period of isolation. Every health care provider shall report immediately to the department any violation of such isolation directive.

The disease described below are declared by the Director of Health to be a threat to the public health. Restrictions shall be imposed on cases, suspected cases, and contacts of cases to the degree and for the duration indicated below.

Medical management and disease intervention activities described below are recommended for AIDS, Chlamydia, food and water borne diseases, gonococcal disease, hepatitis B acute and chronic, hepatitis C acute and chronic, HIV, pelvic inflammatory disease, syphilis and tuberculosis. Health care providers are required to make these recommendations to cases, suspected cases and contacts.

(Definitions of key terms found below table)
(Click here for table of  reportable diseases and reporting categories)

Key Terms

Contact – a person who has been in such an association with an infected person or animal or contaminated environment as to have had an opportunity to acquire the infection.

Airborne precautions – measures intended to prevent transmission of infection by airborne droplet particles containing microorganisms that remain suspended in the air and that can be widely dispersed by air currents. In addition to standard precautions, a private, negative air pressure isolation room is indicated; however, patients infected with the same organism may share the same isolation room. Respiratory protection should be worn by all susceptible persons entering the isolation room. Patient transport should be minimized.

Contact precautions – measures intended to prevent infection by microorganisms transmitted via direct contact with a patient or by indirect contact with environmental surfaces or patient-care items in the patient’s environment. In addition to standard precautions, a private room is indicated, but patients infected with the same organism may share a room. Masks are indicated for those in close contact with the patient; gowns should be worn if soiling is likely; gloves are indicated if touching potentially infectious surfaces.

Direct care occupations – any occupational activity that has the potential to result in the transmission of infectious microorganisms from a care-giver to persons receiving care. Direct care occupations include persons engaged in providing care to children, patients, the elderly, or infirm.

Droplet precautions – measures intended to prevent infection by microorganisms transmitted via relatively large droplets that can be generated by a patient while coughing, sneezing, and talking. In addition to standard precautions, a private room is indicated, but patients infected with the same organism may share a room. Masks are indicated for those in contact with the patient. Gowns and gloves are not required.

Food handling – any contact with food, beverages, or materials and/or items used in their preparation that has the potential to result in the transmission of infectious microorganisms via ingestion of the food and/or beverage. Examples of food handling include (but are not limited to) transporting food or food containers, preparation or service of food, and contact with utensils or food associated equipment.

Standard precautions – measures intended to prevent transmission of infectious microorganisms that should be employed with all patients receiving care, regardless of their diagnosis or presumed infection status. In general terms these measures include handwashing with appropriate soap after each contact with potentially infectious materials, between patients and when indicated, between different sites on the same patient; wearing gloves when touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, and contaminated items; wearing masks and eye protection for patient care activities likely to generate splashes; wearing gowns for patient care activities that are likely to generate splashes or sprays in order to protect skin, clothing and mucous membranes; appropriate handling and disinfection of patient care equipment; and routine implementation of environmental cleaning and disinfection procedures.