Ministry of Health requires isolation of patients with pink eye

Outpatient departments and clinical departments at general hospitals and eye hospitals carry out triage and isolation of patients with pink eye to prevent the spread of infection in the hospital.

When suspecting pink eye, patients should see an eye specialist and follow the doctor's instructions. Illustration photo

The Ministry of Health has just issued an urgent document to the health departments of provinces/cities, affiliated hospitals and health departments of ministries and branches to carry out the classification and isolation of patients with pink eye at the examination department and clinical departments at general hospitals and eye hospitals to prevent the spread of infection in hospitals.

The Ministry of Health's official dispatch stated: The pink eye epidemic has developed rapidly in many provinces and cities. If the health sector does not strengthen disease prevention, the epidemic will spread more strongly, greatly affecting the health, daily life, study and work of the people.

Therefore, the Ministry of Health requests units to urgently direct the Center for Preventive Medicine and the Center for Health Education and Communication of the provinces to coordinate with local media agencies to propagate measures to prevent pink eye disease at home, kindergartens, schools, offices, etc.

The above medical units need to strengthen monitoring, early detection and timely handling of pink eye outbreaks in the area.

In addition, hospitals need to ensure hygiene conditions for people coming to the hospital such as hand sanitizer, hand soap, quick hand sanitizer, etc.

To help people understand disease prevention knowledge, medical staff need to instruct people with pink eye to wear masks, wear glasses, wash their hands regularly and limit contact with others in the hospital, family and community. In particular, hospitals need to ensure enough medicine for patients.

There is no vaccine to prevent pink eye.

Pink eye (also known as conjunctivitis) is an eye infection, often caused by bacteria or viruses or by an allergic reaction, with the characteristic symptom of red eyes.

The disease often starts suddenly, first in one eye and then spreads to the other eye. Pink eye is very easy to catch, easily spread in the community and cause epidemics.

The Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) confirmed: Pink eye can be transmitted through direct contact with an infected person through the respiratory tract, tears, saliva, handshakes, especially the patient's tears which contain a lot of viruses.

The disease can be spread by holding, grasping, or touching contaminated objects such as doorknobs, stair buttons, telephones; personal items of the sick person such as towels, washbasins, etc.; sharing household items such as towels, pillows; and using contaminated water sources such as ponds, lakes, and swimming pools.

In particular, the habit of rubbing eyes, touching nose, mouth is also one of the causes of disease transmission. Hospitals, offices, classrooms, workplaces, public places, on buses, trains, planes... places with high density of people, close distance is very easy to spread disease.

There is currently no specific treatment and people who have had pink eye can get it again just a few months after recovering.

How to prevent pink eye?

The Ministry of Health recommends that, when there is no epidemic, people should regularly ensure personal hygiene, wash their hands with soap and clean water; use separate towels, pillows, and washbasins; wash towels with soap and clean water, dry towels in the sun every day; and especially do not rub your eyes with your hands.

During an epidemic, wash your hands frequently with soap and clean water; do not rub your eyes, nose, or mouth; do not share personal items such as eye drops, towels, glasses, masks, etc.

Clean eyes, nose, and throat daily with regular eye drops, nose drops, and mouthwash.

Use soap or common disinfectants to disinfect the patient's belongings and utensils.

Limit contact with people who are sick or suspected of having pink eye.

People with or suspected of having pink eye need to limit contact with others; need to take time off from school/work to avoid infecting others and spreading to the community.

Patients should use medication as prescribed by their doctor; do not buy eye drops on your own; do not use other people's eye drops. In particular, do not apply leaves such as betel leaves, mulberry leaves, etc. to the eyes.

Before and after cleaning the eyes, using eye drops, wash your hands thoroughly with soap or antiseptic solution. If the condition does not improve after a few days, go to a medical facility immediately for proper examination and treatment...

According to Vietnam+