Proactively prevent epidemics at the beginning of the school year

As the new year begins, this is the time when infectious diseases spread and there is a risk of outbreaks in schools, especially preschools, kindergartens and primary schools. Therefore, the Health sector has coordinated with the Education sector to deploy disease prevention and control measures to proactively control the epidemic.

As of early September 2025, the whole province has recorded more than 1,400 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, more than 1,500 cases of dengue fever, more than 4,400 suspected cases of measles, in addition to other infectious diseases in the community that are developing complicatedly. Meanwhile, schools are an ideal environment for infectious diseases to enter and spread, because schools are crowded places, students are hyperactive, have incomplete resistance, and have limited hygiene habits. In particular, preschool and primary school children are the most susceptible to the disease.

At the beginning of the school year, the Center for Disease Control, the Regional Health Center and the commune and ward health stations closely coordinated with schools to carry out the work of spraying chemicals to kill mosquitoes, cleaning the classroom environment and solutions to prevent and control epidemics before the new school year. Mr. Tran Binh Hieu, Deputy Head of the Health Station of Tan Thanh Ward, Ca Mau Province said: "The health station coordinated with the Regional Health Center and schools to spray chemicals to kill mosquitoes, instruct teachers to clean and disinfect children's utensils and toys before welcoming students to class. Strengthen propaganda measures for teachers, students and parents. Continue to closely monitor to detect and handle when epidemics occur to prevent the spread of epidemics in schools."

Localities have developed plans to promote communication on disease prevention and control in schools such as: Propaganda during flag-raising ceremonies at the beginning of the week. With the goal of improving knowledge on disease prevention and control among students, teachers and parents. In addition, each student will be a propagandist to carry out propaganda on disease prevention and control in each family and those around them. In addition to the disease prevention awareness of teachers and students, parents play a very important role in disease prevention and control. In particular, it is necessary to coordinate with the health sector and schools to remind children to maintain personal hygiene, monitor their health at home and immediately notify the school and health care when children show unusual signs.

The health sector has prepared to respond to all epidemic situations in schools such as: Monitoring early detection when children get sick; Arranging temporary isolation and disinfecting classrooms... to ensure a safe learning environment, preventing the spread of epidemics in schools. Doctor Vuong Huu Tien, Deputy Director of the Department of Health, said: "The epidemic situation in the province is forecast to be complicated when entering the new school year. Therefore, the Department of Health has directed regional health centers and health stations to coordinate with schools to drastically implement prevention and control solutions before children go to school, especially hand, foot and mouth disease, measles and whooping cough. Monitor early detection and timely treatment of epidemics to prevent them from spreading into large epidemics. In addition, direct treatment facilities to prepare a stock of medicines, infusion fluids, emergency equipment... to respond to treatment when there are many cases at the same time."

To proactively prevent and control epidemics in schools, the health sector recommends that schools and parents coordinate to implement the following measures: Keep houses and classrooms clean and airy; regularly wash hands with soap and wear masks in crowded places; strengthen nutrition to increase children's resistance; vaccinate against infectious diseases fully and on schedule; monitor health, let children stay home from school and go to medical facilities for examination when there are unusual signs.

Entering the 2025-2026 school year, disease prevention in schools continues to be considered a key task, requiring close coordination between the health, education and community sectors. With careful preparation and a proactive spirit, the learning environment will be guaranteed to be safe and the epidemic will be pushed back.

Source: https://soyte.camau.gov.vn/bai-khoa-hoc-chinh-tri-va-xa-hoi/chu-dong-phong-chong-dich-dau-nam-hoc-288290