High health alert at childcare centres

Straits Times, 21 March, tuesday

HAND, foot and mouth disease is back on strike! This has callled in much rienforcement for public health awareness. Alarming rate of 3 out of 4 children in Singapore infected have had the EV71 virus which is rather serious. As it cannot be cured by antibiotics, much care has to be taken to enforce cleanliness and let the child slowly recover on his/her own. However the problem of irresponsible parents still arises. Those working parents who have sick children do not find the time to take leave and keep the child at home, instead continue letting him/her go to school. As a result, the child spreads the sickness to others and it develops into the EV71 virus. I feel worried for the welfare of such young children. These parents should develop a sense of responsibility towards the welfare of their children and the welfare of others. I believe through everyone's cooperation to prevent infection and separate infected patients and uninfected from each other in public areas, the virus can totally be ended.