Help students stay warm during the cold season.

GD&TĐ - With the proactive involvement of the Education sector and local authorities, schools in mountainous areas have simultaneously implemented various solutions to ensure students are safe, warm, and healthy throughout the cold winter season.

Proactive measures to prevent influenza A.

In Cao Bang , where temperatures frequently drop, influenza A outbreaks are surging. According to the Cao Bang Provincial Center for Disease Control, the province has recorded over 2,500 cases of influenza since the beginning of the year, but the actual number of people with symptoms in the community may be many times higher.

Ms. Hoang Thi Hang, Principal of Dai Son Kindergarten in Phuc Hoa commune, said: "The school has over 90 children, but more than 20 of them have the flu, accounting for over 22%. This is a worrying rate given the approaching severe cold weather."

More notably, at Cao Bang Provincial General Hospital, within just one month, the Infectious Diseases Department received over 200 cases of influenza A and B, mostly children with severe symptoms such as high fever, headache, vomiting, and diarrhea. The transitional season makes children's immune systems more vulnerable, creating favorable conditions for the influenza virus to spread rapidly in schools, where large numbers of students congregate.

In response to this situation, the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Training of Cao Bang province have issued consecutive documents requiring schools to closely monitor students' health, promptly detect cases, and handle outbreaks. Disinfection spraying and the replenishment of soap and hand sanitizer are carried out regularly.

In many educational institutions, school health staff are sent to training courses to update their knowledge on disease surveillance, outbreak management, diagnosis, treatment, and infection control. At the same time, teachers are reinforcing guidance for children on proper handwashing, wearing masks in crowded places, and not self-medicating with antiviral drugs without a doctor's prescription.

“We are stepping up the dissemination of flu prevention measures as recommended by the health sector: frequent handwashing, covering your mouth when coughing, and wearing masks in crowded places. Along with that, we are advising family members not to buy and use antiviral drugs without a doctor's guidance,” Ms. Hoang Thi Hang shared.

Teachers at Tung Qua Lin Kindergarten in Dao San commune cover their children with blankets to keep them warm.

"A shield" for the game

Alongside combating the pandemic, schools in the mountainous areas of Cao Bang are striving to strengthen measures to combat the cold weather. The Bo Vai school, located near the border and nearly 20km away from the center of Thuong Ha Ethnic Boarding Primary and Secondary School in Co Ba commune, is an area where temperatures are consistently very cold.

Teacher Vi Thi Phuong, in charge of the school branch, shared: “We regularly remind parents to pay attention to keeping their children warm, and also closely monitor weather forecasts to take timely preventive measures. When the weather is very cold, the school flexibly allows students to stay home to avoid the risk of catching a cold.”

In mountainous communes like Muong Lat and Quan Son (Thanh Hoa province), the first monsoon of winter has brought temperatures down to only 7-10°C in many places. Students have to travel long distances over slippery mountain slopes to get to school, further increasing their worries about the cold.

At Muong Ly Ethnic Boarding Junior High School, Principal Hoang Sy Xuan said: “As soon as we predicted several severe cold spells, we checked all the windows and sealed any gaps to prevent drafts. The boarding area added extra blankets and mattresses, and we also appealed to benefactors to donate warm clothes and woolen scarves to disadvantaged students.”

The school also adjusts the start time to be later on very cold days so that students don't have to go out too early. With 320 boarding students, keeping them warm at night is especially important; the dormitories are well-insulated, with thick blankets and warm water available for students to use.

Trung Ly Ethnic Boarding Junior High School, with nearly 500 boarding students, prioritizes cold weather protection alongside ensuring proper nutrition. Principal Nguyen Duy Thuy stated: “During the boarding meals, students are provided with many hot dishes such as bone broth and braised meat. Each classroom has a thermos of warm water for students to use during breaks.”

In addition to maintaining facilities, schools also focus on monitoring students' health. Homeroom teachers are tasked with reminding students to dress warmly, monitoring for symptoms such as coughing and fever, and immediately notifying health officials. When the weather changes suddenly, the school collaborates with the commune's health station to organize screenings to detect early signs of influenza A.

Giang Thi Xinh, a sixth-grade student from Ca Giang village, Trung Ly commune, shared: “At the boarding school, we are well taken care of by the teachers. The sleeping quarters are enclosed and have thick blankets. In class, the atmosphere is warmer because we do warm-up exercises right before class. Even though it's cold, I still feel safe and secure.”

The Thanh Hoa Department of Education and Training has instructed schools to prevent students from attending classes when temperatures drop too low, while also allowing for flexible adjustments to the school schedule. Thanks to this proactive approach, students in the mountainous regions of Thanh Hoa have an additional, robust "shield" against the harsh winter.

The kindergarten in the mountainous commune of Thai Nguyen keeps the children warm and ensures their health.

Strengthening the "defense line" against the cold.

Dao San commune is located at an altitude of over 1,000m, where winter temperatures are often 3-5°C lower than neighboring areas. From the beginning of the cold season, the commune authorities have coordinated with schools to implement measures to keep children warm and minimize going outside when the weather is bad.

At Tung Qua Lin Kindergarten in Dao San commune (Lai Chau province), where there are 336 children, teachers proactively spread foam on the classroom floor and close the doors to retain heat. Ms. Hoang Thi Chu shared: “Before putting the children to sleep, we spread blankets to make mattresses and cover them with warm blankets. The classroom is well-insulated, so parents feel very reassured. The school also allows children to come to class 15 minutes later than in the summer and mobilizes social resources to provide additional warm clothing.”

At Dao San Ethnic Boarding Primary School in Dao San commune (Lai Chau province), measures to combat the cold weather are implemented systematically: boarding students are provided with warm blankets and hot drinking water; classrooms have their doors sealed and additional heating lamps installed. Principal Pham Thi Xuan said: “We regularly inform parents through the Zalo group to dress their children warmly. When the temperature drops, each classroom has 1-2 heating lamps to keep the students warm.”

Similarly, at Muong Chanh Primary School in Muong Chanh commune (Thanh Hoa province), attention is also focused on the psychology of young children. Principal Tao Van Sinh said: “The school requires teachers to regularly check all classroom doors and repair any damaged ones to prevent drafts. We ask parents to prepare woolen hats, socks, and gloves to keep their children warm.” For disadvantaged students, the school collaborates with local organizations to donate warm clothes and shoes before each severe cold spell…

From Cao Bang to Thanh Hoa and Lai Chau, the efforts of teachers, parents, and local authorities have created a "double shield" for students: both preventing disease and protecting them from the cold. New blankets, hot meals, and woolen sweaters, donated by the community, all contribute to helping children in mountainous areas feel more secure on their learning journey.

Mr. Mac Quang Dung, Director of the Department of Education and Training of Lai Chau province, said: “We have instructed schools to simultaneously implement measures to prevent cold weather and prevent influenza A. These are two parallel and complementary tasks: Keeping warm helps increase resistance and reduce the risk of contracting the currently prevalent influenza A. This is even more important when students in mountainous areas often live in boarding schools and have to travel a lot in cold weather.”

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/giup-hoc-tro-am-ap-qua-mua-ret-muot-post759959.html