Covid-19 has been going on and now there are a lot of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), especially among small school going children. Amid a spike in cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in recent weeks, some schools in the national capital have issued advisory.
Symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease
Symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease usually include fever, mouth sores, and rashes or blisters on the hands, foot, forearm and mouth. Your child can get a skin rash on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It can also show up on the buttocks, legs, and arms.
Schools in Delhi have issued advisory
“A few cases of Hand, foot and Mouth disease (HFMD) have been reported among students of junior school in the past one week. It is a common, self- limiting but highly contagious viral disease that usually affects infants and children of less than 5 years old. But, sometimes even older children and adults may be affected,” states the advisory issued by Sanskriti School, Delhi stated
Parents have also been asked by the school to check for symptoms of HFMD and inform their respective class teacher if their child is diagnosed with the disease. Further, parents have been asked to not send children to school until rashes have healed completely and fever has subsided for at least 24 hours.
‘There were some concerns among parents. We have told them that they should keep an eye out on symptoms and keep the child at home if they suspect an illness. We are also sanitizing rooms twice a day and carrying out fogging to provide a secure environment at school,” Hindustan Times quoted Tania Joshi, principal of The Indian School.
Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD)
HFMD is a common and long known viral infection, caused by a group of viruses, which includes coxsackievirus a16 and enterovirus 71. Though it can affect any age group, it is more common in children younger than five years.
Hand, foot and mouth disease treatment
There’s no cure or vaccine for hand, foot, and mouth disease. It usually goes away on its own after 7 to 10 days.
Hand, foot and mouth disease spreads through
-Saliva
-Mucus from their nose or lungs
-Fluid from blisters
-Coughing or sneezing
-Close contact
-Touching surfaces with the virus on them
