Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease

Categories: Singapore
Today marks the first day of school in Singapore after a one-week break. This will also be the first day in school after the outbreak of Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease (HFMD) with started about 3 weeks ago around the region. With the recent school break, families in Singapore generally travel around the region and with the disease 1-week incubation period, [Ref] the opening of school may herald a spread of the disease. The Ministry of Health has already drawn up guidelines for schools and doctors in its contingency plan to combat a possible outbreak.

On March 10, the Health Ministry had set up a task force involving Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports which oversees nurseries and childcare centre and Ministry of Education and National Environmental Agency. With this multi-ministerial task force, it is hoped that the lag time for any useful policy implementation across ministry is shortened.

It was reported in the Straits Times today that any single child is down with HFMD, the parents of all classmates will be informed. And if at least 18 children are infected over a 3 week period, the school will be shut. Informing parents will highten vigilance and possible early quarantine if comfirmed and shutting down schools will serve to break the infectious cycle.

As for the primary healthcare, circulars had been distributed informing them of the need for extra vigilance during this period. They are to advice parents to keep their child indoors for seven days from onset of disease. During this time, the child is also to avoid contacts with their siblings and other children as much as possible. And they are only to attend school after being certified free of the disease by a doctor. Of course, good personal hygiene is of utmost importance during this time. And if a child down with HFMD showed signs of lung infection, heart infection or brain infection, they are to be referred to the tertiary institution of Kandang Kerbau Hospital or National University Hospital.

The Health Ministry also has a good FAQ on HFMD on its website for the public. Topics include what is HFMD, signs and symptoms, treatment and what parents can do if a child is infected with the disease. This very informative site is useful for the general public.

However, none is more important than personal hygiene. Because HFMD is spread by direct contact, adoption of personal hygiene is of utmost importance. Washing hands and covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing are simple yet effective means of breaking the contagion. All the measures taken by the Ministry may come to naught if simple personal hygiene is not practiced.

Given the experience with SARS back in 2003, Singaporean had shown that they are the robust lot. With the lessons learned, and the precautions taken, hopefully there will be little likelihood of a repeat of the 2000/2001 HFMD epidemic where deaths had occured.

And again Mr Khaw Boon Wan, the Health Minister, should be commended for drawing up plans so early to combat the possible epidemic of HFMD.