JOIN USKids, elders bogged down with viral infections
Though many hospitals and health centres have been denying it and terming it routine, viral infections have forayed into the city. While children are missing classes owing to chicken pox, caused by Vericella Zoster; both elders and kids are affected by conjunctivitis — inflammation of conjunctiva.
A school teacher on condition of anonymity said atleast 10 - 12 children in her school are suffering from chicken pox. Though teachers tell kids’ parents to abstain from sending their kids to school, seldom do they pay heed to such advice. “Since most parents are working, they are forced to send kids back to school after fever comes down. This results in other children being affected too,” they say. However, paediatricians differ with this. “Verizella resides in the host body between one to three weeks before turning into cold, sneezing, fever and eventually appearance of those tiny reddish and often itchy boils that are termed chicken pox. So, even before one knows the child has chicken pox, the kid would have already passed on the infection to others,” a doctor said. For once, people with dark glasses at banks, supermarkets and get togethers aren’t looking ‘cool’. With people contracting the highly contagious infection from each other very easily, families are prone to this usually harmless, yet irritating infection.
Precautions
If you aren’t infected yet, ensure that you do not touch your eyes with unclean hands. Wash your hands thoroughly before cleaning your eyes. Use an anti bacterial solution for cleaning hands and wipe it thoroughly.
Follow hygienic practices if you have already caught the infection, so that the condition does not worsen, and irritation and discomfort to the eye can be minimized.
For chicken pox, do not try treating it at home. Consult a doctor and maintain hygiene. Use clean bed sheets and follow doctor’s advice.