The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued a reminder——
Hand, foot and mouth disease has entered a high-incidence period, don’t be careless about prevention
The change of seasons between summer and autumn is a period of high incidence of infectious diseases in children. Hand, foot and mouth disease is one of the common diseases that troubles parents and children. Many parents mistakenly think that it is just a minor ailment such as "a small rash on the hands and feet" and do not pay attention to it. In fact, the disease is caused by enterovirus infection. It is extremely contagious and has various transmission routes. Young children are generally susceptible. A few severe cases may also cause complications and threaten health.
Recently, the Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reminded that the prevention and control of hand, foot and mouth disease focuses on blocking transmission in advance rather than post-disease treatment. As long as the transmission channels are accurately cut off and scientific protective measures are implemented, children's health can be effectively protected.
How hand, foot and mouth disease is spread
1. Gastrointestinal transmission (fecal-oral route, core mode of transmission)
This is the main transmission channel for enterovirus. Children infected with the virus will carry large amounts of the virus in their feces, and shedding of the virus can last for weeks. If children do not wash their hands in time after defecation, or parents do not disinfect their hands after taking care of them, the virus will attach to their hands and surfaces such as tableware, toys, door handles, etc. When a child comes into contact with contaminated items or consumes contaminated food or raw water, the virus will invade the body and cause infection.
2. Close contact transmission (high incidence of daily transmission)
The patient's saliva, nasal secretions, and skin herpes fluid contain a large amount of active viruses. Children may be infected by the virus if they share towels, water cups, toys, clothing, or have direct contact with children with rashes or saliva. In places where children gather, such as kindergartens and playgrounds, it is extremely easy for cross-infection and cluster epidemics to occur.
3. Respiratory droplet transmission (the most covert mode of transmission)
Droplets produced when sick children cough or sneeze can carry viruses suspended in the air, and healthy children can be infected by inhaling them at close range. A closed, crowded, poorly ventilated indoor environment will greatly increase the risk of droplet transmission.
How to cut off the chain of transmission
1. Wash your hands frequently
Hands are the main transmission medium for enteroviruses. Parents should urge their children to wash their hands according to the seven-step handwashing method with running water and hand sanitizer for no less than 20 seconds before eating, using the toilet, returning from going out, or touching public items, and correct bad habits such as eating hands and rubbing eyes. Hand sanitizer is for emergency use only and cannot replace running water for hand washing. Parents also need to clean their hands after caring for their children and handling dirt.
2. Provide ventilation and environmental disinfection
Tableware should be boiled and disinfected daily, toys, door handles and other high-touch objects should be wiped with chlorine-containing disinfectants, and fabrics should be exposed to the sun. Living rooms and classrooms should be ventilated 2-3 times a day for no less than 30 minutes each time to keep the room dry and ventilated to reduce the spread of viruses in closed environments.
3. Children with the disease should stay at home as much as possible
During high-incidence seasons, try to bring children to closed crowded places as little as possible; schools implement morning and afternoon inspections. If students are found to have fever, rash, oral ulcers and other symptoms, they should be sent to the doctor in time. It is strictly forbidden to return to school while sick. Children with the disease need to be quarantined at home and can return to school only after their symptoms have completely recovered to avoid continued transmission.
4. Get vaccinated in time to keep the bottom line of serious illness
EVA71 inactivated vaccine can effectively prevent severe hand, foot and mouth disease caused by this type of virus. It is recommended that children aged 6 months to 5 years be fully vaccinated as soon as possible. The vaccine cannot cover all enterovirus serotypes, and daily protective measures must still be adhered to after vaccination.
Avoid common prevention and control misunderstandings
Parents need to focus on avoiding the following misunderstandings:
Myth 1: Only rash on the hands and feet is hand, foot and mouth disease
Some children only develop oral herpes, fever and sore throat, without rash on their hands and feet, but they are also contagious and need to be investigated in time.
Myth 2: Being sick once gives you lifelong immunity
There are more than 20 common enteroviruses that cause hand, foot and mouth disease. Infection with one type only confers immunity to that type. Children may still be infected repeatedly and need to be protected all year round.
Misunderstanding 3: Mild symptoms do not require medical treatment
Mild illness can heal on its own, but if the child develops symptoms such as persistent high fever, listlessness, trembling limbs, and frequent vomiting, it is a sign of serious illness and requires immediate medical attention without delay.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention reminds that hand, foot and mouth disease can be prevented and controlled. There is no need to be overly nervous, but do not be careless. Home-school cooperation, hand protection, environmental disinfection, ventilation and isolation, vaccination, and adhering to every prevention and control detail can effectively block the spread of enterovirus and protect the safety and health of children.
