Preventing diseases in pupils ahead of the new school year

In just a few days, more than 1.2 million pupils across Dong Nai province will officially begin the 2025 – 2026 school year.

Children receive vaccinations at the Dong Nai provincial Center for Disease Control ahead of the new school year. Photo: Hanh Dung

To ensure health protection for pupils, especially preschoolers and primary schoolers, parents and many schools in the province have been taking various disease prevention measures.

Families and schools join hands

Dinh Thu Hien (located in Tan Trieu ward, Dong Nai province), shared: Noticing the dengue was breaking out, she took advantage of the days off during the weekend to take her two children, aged 8 and 12, to get dengue vaccinations, with each dose costing more than 1 million VND.

“Around my house there are many trees and vacant lots, and mosquitoes are quite prevalent, so I worry that my children would suffer greatly if they became ill. I myself once had dengue fever, so I understand how dangerous it can be. I want my kids to have a strong ‘shield’ against illness before starting the new school year, so they won’t have to miss school due to illness.” – Hien shared.

Similarly, Ho Thi Thuy Duong (from Loc Ninh commune, Dong Nai province) confided: “Since the Covid-19 pandemic, my family has made it a habit to get flu vaccinations every year. During the school year, children play and interact with their friends, which raises the risk of infection, so I had my kids vaccinated against the flu and several other diseases.”

For the 2025 – 2026 school year, Phan Dinh Phung Primary School (Long Binh ward, Dong Nai province) has nearly 4,000 pupils across all five grade levels.

Principal Pham Thi Diu said: Before first graders began school, the entire staff of teachers and employees worked together to clean classrooms and the school grounds. The school had a medical room fully equipped with basic medicines and first-aid supplies to care for the pupils when needed.

Meanwhile, Nguyen An Ninh Primary School (Tam Hiep ward, Dong Nai province) coordinated with local healthcare units to conduct training sessions on accident and injury prevention, first aid, and food safety.

At the training session, teachers, school staff, food service providers, parents, and pupils were provided with essential knowledge and skills by doctors and nurses, including first aid for choking, wound bandaging, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and food safety measures.

Close monitoring of children’s health needed

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Quyen, Head of the Department of Tropical Diseases at Dong Nai Children’s Hospital, noted: The current peak rainy season creates favorable conditions for mosquitoes to breed, making the risk of dengue outbreaks very high. In recent times, the hospital has frequently received and treated severe dengue cases, with many children admitted late, complicating treatment efforts. Hence, when children showed symptoms such as high fever, fatigue, or loss of appetite, parents must promptly take them to hospital for examination and treatment, and never self-administer medication or intravenous fluids without a doctor’s prescription.

In addition to dengue fever, the back-to-school season also saw an increased risk of other infectious diseases such as hand – foot – and – mouth disease, measles, pertussis, and various respiratory infections.

Dr. Quyen advised: To prevent infectious diseases in children during the back-to-school season, parents and teachers should teach children to develop the habit of washing hands with soap, especially before eating and after using the restroom. This simple act helps reduce the spread of common illnesses such as flu, conjunctivitis, and colds. Children should also be guided to cover their noses and mouths when coughing or sneezing.

Since the beginning of 2025, Dong Nai province has recorded more than 11,600 dengue cases (with children aged under 15 accounting for nearly 42%); over 7,300 measles cases, including 3 deaths; more than 5,300 cases of hand – foot – and – mouth disease; 53 cases of pertussis; and 6 cases of meningococcal encephalitis, etc.

In addition, parents and schools must ensure children receive a balanced diet, including vegetables, fruits, grains, meat, fish, and dairy products; supplement vitamin C and other vitamins to strengthen immunity; encourage children to eat full meals, not skip breakfast, and drink enough water. Exercise and outdoor play should also be promoted. If a child shows symptoms of respiratory illness, they should rest at home, seek medical care, and avoid contact with other children.

By: Hanh Dung

Translated by: Thu Hien - Thu Ha