1.What is hand, foot and mouth disease? Hand, foot and mouth disease is caused by enterovirus coxsackie A16 or EV71 infection, which is characterized by fever, herpes on the palms, feet, buttocks and pharynx. In mild cases, the disease can be cured in a week or so, but in severe cases, it can be complicated by encephalitis, myocarditis, neurogenic pulmonary edema, etc., which can easily endanger patients’ lives. 2. Who is susceptible to the disease? The disease often occurs in preschool children, especially infants and children under 3 years of age, adults can also be infected, but generally do not develop. Environmental hygiene, poor food hygiene, poor personal hygiene habits, crowded housing, poor ventilation, etc. can easily lead to the onset of the disease. 3.What season is it easy to develop and how is it spread? The disease can occur throughout the year, commonly in the summer and autumn (April-September) transmission methods are: ① close contact with the crowd is an important mode of transmission, children through contact with virus-contaminated hands, towels, handkerchiefs, toothbrushes, toys, tableware, milk utensils, as well as bedding, underwear, etc. caused by infection. ② Virus in the throat secretions and saliva of patients can be transmitted through the air (droplets), so close contact with sick children can cause infection. ③ Drinking or eating water and food contaminated with virus can also cause infection. 4.What are the manifestations of hand, foot and mouth disease? Most children start with fever, usually around 38℃, and a rash appears in the mouth, hands, feet and buttocks at the same time, or a mucosal herpes appears. Some patients have cough and other cold symptoms in the early stage. The rash begins to appear 1-2 days after the onset of fever, usually on the palms and soles of the hands and feet, but also on the buttocks. Some children do not have a fever, but only a rash on the hands, feet, buttocks or herpes pharyngitis, which is mild. Most children recover within a week when their body temperature drops and the rash subsides. In severe cases, there is mental depression, vomiting, drowsiness, seizures and coma. 5.How to prevent the disease in nurseries, kindergartens and schools? The environment should be kept clean, windows should be opened and ventilated, toys and food hygiene should be done, morning check-ups should be done, and children with fever and rash should be immediately seen by a regular hospital and reported to the relevant authorities, and toys, tables, chairs and bedding should be disinfected, and canteens, bathrooms and classrooms should be disinfected. Caregivers, teachers, and other staff found to have fever and rash should be suspended from work immediately.