Recently, many mothers in mainland China have been discussing on social media platforms about their children contracting infectious diseases at school or kindergarten within just one or two weeks of the new school year, causing them to be unable to attend classes. Some primary schools have entire classes in isolation, while some have half of the students resting at home. Concerns among parents are growing.
On September 17, a mother from Guangdong revealed on a Chinese social media platform that her child had just started kindergarten and had been resting at home for half a month, with half of the children in the kindergarten being sick and staying home.
She gave an example of one toddler having hand, foot, and mouth disease, while five others were vomiting without a clear cause. “There is silence in the parents’ chat group, not even responding to the teachers’ Mid-Autumn Festival greetings. Many parents are heartbroken, hoping that their children can return to school normally tomorrow.”
Her worries resonated with many mothers of toddlers in the comment section.
A mother from Anhui responded, saying, “I can relate. My child started kindergarten in the small class on August 26, and got sick after two weeks. Since September 7, my child has been on sick leave and hasn’t been able to go to school.”
She also mentioned that her child had a fever for four to five days before recovering, followed by a cough. “Both me and my child’s dad were also infected. My throat hurt for days, and even medication didn’t work. It’s really exhausting. Hopefully, we won’t get sick again in the short term, as it’s truly draining.”
A mother from Shanghai confirmed, “On our fourth day of school, my child vomited and had a mild case of diarrhea. About 10 kids in the class had similar symptoms, and after being home for a week, they started coughing again, which is truly concerning.”
Another mother from Shanghai also confirmed, saying, “We have many cases of vomiting here too.”
A mother from Guangdong shared that her child attended an adaptation class for ten days, but on September 3, the official start date of kindergarten, her child was diagnosed with mycoplasma pneumonia, and after the child recovered, she also got infected.
A mother from Hebei decided to withdraw her child from kindergarten as the child had been sick twice in the twenty days of attendance, experiencing vomiting, fever, and diarrhea.
On September 13, a mother from Shanghai disclosed, “Half of the class got sick within two weeks of school starting, and there is a class currently in isolation due to rotavirus. It is said that the currently prevalent illnesses include herpangina, adenovirus, with many children having asymptomatic fevers. Some test positive for viral infections, while others for bacterial infections, making it a complicated situation.” Her account also sparked resonance among many mothers in Shanghai.
Another mother from Shanghai responded on the same day, sharing that to dodge the peak of viruses, she took leave last Friday, only to find out she had already contracted the virus. “On Sunday night, I started having headaches, low fever, sore throat, and developed a viral rash. My hands were really bad for the first two days. To prevent my child from being teased by classmates for the rash, I took two more days off.”
Other Shanghai parents confirmed that half the kids in their children’s classes were running fevers, and some mentioned that their children took three weeks to recover from the viral infection.
A mother from Jiangsu also shared, saying that seven children in her child’s class suddenly had headaches and fevers. As a result, kids who requested sick leave need a medical certificate from the hospital before returning to school to prevent further spread of illnesses.
On September 1, a mother from Beijing shared a unique situation where her child developed pneumonia without coughing or having a fever. She lamented, “The viruses this year are particularly vicious. On August 28, my child went back to school and the next day in the early morning, complained of stomach discomfort, vomited thrice. I thought it was just a stomach bug from school food. The child didn’t cough or have a fever in the daytime. In the afternoon, though feeling unwell, a blood oxygen test at the hospital revealed levels at 90, necessitating urgent hospitalization to diagnose severe pneumonia and respiratory failure.”
A teacher from Peking University on the same day noted that symptoms alone cannot be relied upon for diagnosis. “A child I know had a similar situation, not coughing or feverish but vomiting, and was immediately hospitalized with a diagnosis of severe pneumonia.”
Another mother from Beijing also confirmed, “It’s terrifying. Both our children, one in grade one and the other in the first year of junior high, have been infected. It seems this semester won’t be smooth; worrying, worrying.”
Some mothers expressed their concern, saying, “We’re on edge even just breathing the air now.”
A parent from Zhejiang introduced on social media on September 14 about receiving a notice from the teacher in the afternoon to wear masks as viruses are prevalent. The notice suggested that kids should wear masks to school after the Mid-Autumn Festival and keep spare masks in their bags. If they have a fever, parents should let their children rest at home and only return to school 48 hours after the fever subsides.
Many parents admired the proactive steps and responsible approach of the school and teachers, praising them for being diligent.
One parent from Shandong commented, “Your notice is ahead of more than 90% of schools. You are relatively safe. I’m concerned about those places where kids are coughing without masks in the classroom.”
However, a parent from Liaoning shared that their school had already issued similar guidelines at the beginning of the school year on September 1, but it didn’t seem to be effective, as many in the class were still sick, with no one paying much attention. “So, I’ll just wear an N95 mask myself.”
Expert in virology and infectious diseases, Dong Yuhong, told Epoch Times on September 19 that at this time, it is crucial for children to enhance their body’s self-healing ability, also known as self-healing power, to fundamentally improve their physical constitution.
She explained that changing one’s constitution solely through medicine or nutrition might not bring about substantial change. “Engaging in traditional exercises like qigong and meditation, as well as natural therapies, can boost immunity and self-recovery capabilities, contributing to significant improvements in one’s health.”