Recommendations for preventing chickenpox.

Vaccinate children against chickenpox at a healthcare facility.

Chickenpox can cause many dangerous complications.

Since the beginning of the year, thousands of chickenpox cases have been recorded nationwide, including some fatalities. According to a report from the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City, in the first five months of 2023, the southern region recorded 2,645 cases, a 3.9-fold increase compared to the same period in 2022. In Tay Ninh province, 89 cases have been recorded since the beginning of 2023. The localities with the highest number of chickenpox infections are Trang Bang town with 44 cases, Tay Ninh city with 26 cases, and Chau Thanh district with 16 cases.

Chickenpox primarily affects children, manifesting as fatigue, headache, mild fever, runny nose, sore throat, and a rash of blisters that begins on the head and eyes and then spreads to the rest of the body. The contagious period is 1-2 days before the rash appears and within 5 days of the first blisters appearing. The illness typically lasts 7-10 days.

In immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, and newborns, chickenpox can progress severely, leading to visceral complications such as pneumonia, myocarditis, and potentially death. If a pregnant woman contracts chickenpox in the first trimester, the virus can cause miscarriage or result in congenital chickenpox with various birth defects such as microcephaly, limb contractures, cerebral palsy, and congenital scarring. If a woman contracts chickenpox in the days leading up to or after birth, the child is more likely to develop severe illness with numerous blisters and complications such as pneumonia.

The disease is highly contagious from person to person through the respiratory tract or close contact with nasal and throat secretions, and fluid from chickenpox blisters of infected individuals. The infection rate is as high as 90% in people who are not immune.

Measures to prevent chickenpox

The most effective way to prevent chickenpox currently is to vaccinate children from 12 months of age. This is the most effective and long-lasting measure to prevent chickenpox. The chickenpox vaccine is safe and highly effective. If fully vaccinated, children are less likely to get the disease, and if they do, the symptoms will be milder.

In addition, people need to limit contact with sick people to prevent infection; wash hands frequently with soap, use separate personal items, clean the nose and throat daily with saline solution; and regularly disinfect homes, schools, and household items with common disinfectants.

Some things to note for people with chickenpox.

Individuals with chickenpox should take 7 to 10 days off from school or work starting from the onset of symptoms to prevent spreading the disease to others.

To reduce the risk of skin infections, patients should take warm baths, gently wash their bodies, avoid breaking blisters or scratching the skin, and change clothes daily. Chickenpox patients should choose loose, breathable clothing that absorbs sweat easily to avoid friction that could break blisters and spread the fluid to surrounding skin.

In addition, patients should gently clean their eyes, nose, and mouth 2-3 times daily with saline solution because chickenpox can appear in the mouth, and if not cleaned properly, it can lead to secondary infections. In particular, patients should immediately go to the nearest medical facility for examination if they experience symptoms such as frequent coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue, or lethargy.

In addition, a proper diet is also very important for people with chickenpox. A proper diet will help patients strengthen their immune system and recover quickly; conversely, a poor diet can have negative effects on the chickenpox condition. If a breastfeeding child gets sick, the mother should continue breastfeeding as usual.

Dinh Tien

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