Aug. 31, 2006 – The Department of Health has issued new guidelines for tuberculosis screening for children enrolling in public and private schools in the territory effective as of Aug. 21, 2006.
The department no longer requires TB skin testing every two years for all children entering school. Candidates for the test will be based on individual risk of exposure. Testing will only be required of new students who are enrolling in the local school system for the first time or are returning to the territory after a significant absence, according to a press release from DOH.
For more information, contact the Department of Education school nurses, or the Territorial TB Control Office at DOH at 774-3168.
Copies of the new guidelines are available at the DOH's STD/HIV/TB clinics.
