Preschools in HCMC have been at the forefront of implementing rigorous sanitation protocols and preventive measures to safeguard the health of young children. In addition to adhering to the city and local district guidelines, many institutions have undertaken initiatives such as landscaping, cleaning, and disinfecting school premises.
Principal Phan Ngoc Han of Binh Hung Kindergarten in Binh Chanh District shared that all administrative staff, teachers, and caregivers in the school have undergone specialized training to enhance their capabilities in disease prevention within the school setting. As a precautionary measure against dengue fever and hand-foot-mouth disease, classrooms are disinfected after each session, and toys are meticulously scrubbed with soap.
Similarly, several primary and secondary schools have been proactive in cleaning and disinfecting classrooms, and conducting training sessions for staff to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
Tran Be Hong Hanh, Principal of Nguyen Thai Hoc Primary School in District 1 reported that the school has thoroughly disinfected all equipment and learning materials, provided hand sanitizer and soap in classrooms and restrooms, and arranged for district health personnel to train teachers on measles prevention and other infectious diseases. Furthermore, the school has conducted a comprehensive review of students’ immunization records and has intensified counseling efforts to encourage parents to complete the recommended vaccination schedule for their children.
Principal Pham Thuy Ha of Dang Tran Con Primary School in District 4 revealed that the school is working closely with the health department to ensure that all 137 students with unknown measles-rubella vaccination histories receive the necessary doses within the second week of the new school year.
At Nguyen Van Huong Primary School in District 7, Principal Nguyen Thi Bich Nhien reported that among the school’s 1,287 students, no suspected measles cases have been identified in the first week of the new school year. As part of daily post-school routines, classrooms, desks, doorknobs, and restrooms are disinfected using soap or disinfectant solutions. Additionally, a supervisory team is assigned to remind teachers and students of preventive measures.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, from May 23 - September 4, the city recorded 541 measles cases, including three fatalities. Statistics show that 74 percent of measles cases were among unvaccinated children, despite being eligible.
Following the announcement of the measles outbreak in HCMC, by the end of August, local authorities had compiled a list of 271,036 out of 437,412 children aged 1-5 years (approximately 62 percent of children with information in the National Immunization Information System). However, among these 271,036 children, over 54,800 had not completed the required measles vaccination doses.
During the first week of the city's measles vaccination campaign (August 31 - September 4), only around 20,000 children were vaccinated, which is extremely low and demands more decisive actions from districts to improve the situation.
In response, all 11 wards in District 12 have had their community health workers to conduct door-to-door campaigns to promote preventive measures, formed 23 vaccination teams, and requested the Department of Education and Training to collaborate with the health sector in screening and compiling data on 21,725 preschoolers who have completed two doses of the vaccine, 2,382 who have received one dose, and 636 who have not been vaccinated.
In the first week of the vaccination campaign, District 12 vaccinated 1,587 children. For the remaining unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children, the District 12 People's Committee has instructed the District Health Center to collaborate with the Department of Education and Training to organize on-site vaccinations from September 9-15.
5,095 children in Binh Tan District were missing measles-rubella vaccine doses. Specifically, among 336 public and private preschools, 1,270 children had not completed the required doses. “From August 31 - September 8, the district has vaccinated 2,635 out of 5,095 children, achieving a rate of 51.7 percent. The Binh Tan District People's Committee has directed its health center to collaborate with the education sector to ensure that the rest of these children are fully vaccinated by September 15.
Nguyen Hong Tam, level-II specialist and Head of the HCMC Center for Disease Control (HCDC), recommended that schools isolate students with suspected measles symptoms, provide them with masks, and limit their contact with others. School nurses or teachers should then advise parents to take their children to medical facilities for examination and treatment.
Sick or suspected cases must be absent from school and quarantined for seven days from the onset of the rash. Schools with confirmed measles cases should be prioritized for vaccination to prevent the spread of the disease to families, schools, and the community.
