Many schools in Hanoi in recent days have recorded a large number of students asking for leave due to fever, cough, and respiratory infections.
Ms. Nguyen Le (45 years old) whose child is in grade 9 at Luong The Vinh Secondary and High School (Hanoi) said that her child's class has 41 students, today there are 9 students who have dropped out of school due to influenza A.
"Infficiency A can spread quickly in crowded environments and closed spaces like classrooms, making parents very worried. Every morning before going to school, I have to tell my children to wear masks and limit close contact with friends during the outbreak of the epidemic" - Ms. Le said.
In recent days, a primary school in Duong Noi ward has also recorded many cases of influenza A in students, affecting their learning situation. Some classes have only half of the students going to school, the classroom atmosphere is less crowded and much calmer than usual.
Another parent whose child is in grade 1 and 3 at this school said that her two children have been sick one after another and have had to take a day off from school continuously since last week.
"After the older child recovered from the disease, it was the younger child's turn to get sick, after a few days of finishing, I heard that another friend had dropped out of school due to influenza A" - she said.
Ms. H.L (37 years old, Hai Ba Trung ward - a parent with a child in kindergarten) shared: "My child had to take nearly a week off because of the flu. Every few days, I hear that another classmate is infected. Parents are very worried because the disease spreads so quickly".
MSc. Nguyen Dinh Dung - Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases said that influenza A is easily spread through the respiratory tract, and can occur at any age.
"The early stages of influenza A are quite similar to colds, so it is easy to be subjective. However, the disease can progress rapidly, causing pneumonia or respiratory failure if not monitored and treated early" - Mr. Dung said.
The important solution emphasized by experts is to get vaccinated against seasonal flu vaccines every year.
Dr. Dao Huu Than - Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Prevention, CDC Hanoi said that the influenza vaccine has been proven safe, helping to reduce the risk of disease and serious complications.
Doctors recommend that parents should closely monitor their children's health during the changing seasons. In case of high fever, prolonged cough, shortness of breath, unwanted to eat, fatigue or rapid breathing, it is necessary to take them to a medical facility immediately to avoid taking antibiotics or fever-reducing medicine for a long time.
If there is a person in the family with the flu, wear a mask when in contact, increase hand hygiene, limit sharing personal items and ensure ventilation in the room. Children who are sick should be off school to avoid spreading.
