Epidemiology School Response Team (ESRT)

The ESRT works to prevent, reduce the risk, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks in schools.

ESRT can table at Community Events to provide up-to-date guidance about diseases. Through Health Education, ESRT teaches the community practical ways to prevent the spread of infectious disease. When an outbreak occurs, ESRT conducts Response Site Visits. The team will visit the school site and work with school staff to identify risks and ways to prevent future outbreaks.

ESRT Services

General Information

Community Events

Bring in ESRT to showcase resources and education!

The team supports community events by:

Promoting healthy behaviors, like washing your hands.
Providing infectious disease education.

ESRT can also table at community events with the School Immunization Program.

School staff can request a community event using this webform.

Health Education

Find educational materials to promote healthy behaviors among students and families. These fun and informative materials include:

Fact sheets
Flyers
Infographics
Social media

The team is available to conduct presentations in classrooms, at teacher staff meetings or parent advisory meetings on infectious diseases.

Explore a library of infectious disease educational materials on the educational materials webpage.

Site Visits and Outbreak Response

The ESRT response team provides guidance and help during an outbreak. An infectious disease outbreak occurs when there is a sudden increase in the number of cases within a short time.

Please contact our team if you notice a rise in cases of any infectious disease. To report a school outbreak, you can email PHS.EPI-SCHOOLS.HHSA@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Upon request, ESRT can conduct a site visit to address the outbreak and assess the school’s prevention and response measures.

ESRT will look at the school’s cleaning procedures, ventilation and filtration, and management of cases and exposures. 
After a site visit, ESRT will provide recommendations to help improve the school’s prevention and response strategies.
ESRT can also assist with a communications plan before, during and after outbreaks.

School staff can request a site visit by using this webform.

Contact Information

For more information, contact the Epidemiology School Response Team program through e-mail at PHS.EPI-SCHOOLS.HHSA@sdcounty.ca.gov or via phone at (619) 692-8636.