Practise high levels of hygiene to minimise HFMD

16 May 2008, Today

Question

Name of the Person: Helen Edmonds

Protect our kids, impose more preventive measures

IN VIEW of the school holidays, are the authorities taking any extra precautions with regards to travel to and from China in view of the EV71 virus and hand, foot and mouth disease in general?

Will day-care centers, nurseries and schools have the right to request information on where the children ­ and their parents — have travelled, and will there be any screening conducted on passenger flights coming from infected areas, particularly those carrying children?

As a mother of two, I am concerned that if more preventative measures are not taken, more children, and ultimately their parents, will suffer when more schools and child care centers have to close as a result of the spreading infection.

Reply

Reply from MOH 

Practise high levels of hygiene to minimise HFMD

Ms Helen Edmonds would like us to "Protect our kids, impose more preventive measures" (TDY, 15 May 08) against the spread of HFMD, given the current outbreak from China.

Indeed, we should. The key is to raise our standard of personal and environmental hygiene. That is the only effective way to protect ourselves against HFMD.

HFMD is present throughout the year and a common childhood disease worldwide. Screening of travellers from China is not effective because patients can be infectious even without symptoms.

Meanwhile, parents with sick children should seek medical treatment and then keep them at home, so as not to expose other kids to the infection