What is Influenza A? What are the infection causes and symptoms of Influenza A? What are the regulations on health education for students at schools in Vietnam?

What is Influenza A?

Recently, hospitals have received a significant number of patients with respiratory failure and various complications related to Influenza A. Particularly, young children or the elderly tend to show more severe symptoms when contracting the disease. So, what is Influenza A?

Influenza A is an acute respiratory infection commonly prevalent during seasonal transitions, caused by influenza virus strains such as A/H1N1, A/H3N2, A/H5N1, and A/H7N9. Among these, the A/H7N9 and A/H5N1 strains are often found in poultry, with the ability to infect humans and cause outbreaks.

Influenza A is often mistaken for the common cold due to similar symptoms; however, it progresses swiftly, poses many dangers, and carries a high risk of developing into an epidemic or pandemic.

Influenza A can lead to respiratory complications and can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. This is especially true for young children, the elderly, or patients with underlying health conditions.

What are the infection What are the infection causes and symptoms of Influenza A?

(1) Causes of Influenza A Infection

The influenza A virus can be transmitted directly from person to person through the respiratory route. When a patient coughs, sneezes, or even talks, nasal, throat secretions, or saliva droplets carrying the virus are expelled into the environment. A healthy person inhaling these droplets can become infected.

Additionally, a person can contract Influenza A by:

- Sharing household items (cups, bowls, spoons, towels...) with an infected person, or by accidentally coming into contact with household objects containing the virus (doorknobs, tables, chairs...) and then touching their nose or mouth;

- Contacting animals infected with Influenza A, such as mammals like pigs, horses, or poultry;

- Gathering in crowded places such as parks, kindergartens, schools, or offices, which are conducive to the spread of the virus.

(2) Symptoms of Influenza A

Initially, contracting Influenza A exhibits symptoms similar to a common cold, including runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, fatigue, chills, and body aches. Additionally, patients may experience other symptoms such as fever, sore throat, headache, and prolonged fatigue.

If not treated promptly, Influenza A can lead to more serious complications. Patients may experience ear infections, digestive disorders such as diarrhea or stomach pain, or more severe issues like chest pain, difficulty breathing, pneumonia, bronchitis, and cardiovascular impacts. Especially in vulnerable groups like young children and the elderly, the disease can progress rapidly and lead to more severe complications.

Note: The information is for reference only!

What is Influenza A? What are the infection causes and symptoms of Influenza A? What are the regulations on health education for students at schools in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

What are the regulations on health education for students at schools in Vietnam?

Under Article 10 of Joint Circular 13/2016/TTLT-BYT-BGDDT on health education:

- Compile and use documents on health education according to student age and the local reality.

- Educate students, their parents or guardians about infectious disease and food poisoning prevention measures ; nutrition, physical exercises, cigarette and alcohol effect, compulsory schooling diseases, oral health, eye diseases and other injuries; propagate and participate in health education programs launched by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Health and Training.

- Include health education in lectures.

- Get students participate in personal hygiene, school and environment cleaning, infectious healthy meal, physical exercises, prevention of tobacco and alcohol adverse effects, compulsory schooling diseases, eye diseases and injuries via proper models and methods

What are the requirements for lecturers providing training to improve the capacity of school medical staff in Vietnam?

Pursuant to sub-section 4 of Section 4 in the Training Program for Improving School Medical Staff Capacity attached to Decision 4202/QD-BGDDT in 2022, the requirements for lecturers providing training to improve the capacity of school medical staff in Vietnam are:

- Possessing extensive experience and deep expertise in the teaching module, able to research, aggregate specialized documents, and regularly update new legislation and knowledge to meet job position requirements aligned with general development trends.

- Having experience in managing, teaching school health tasks, possessing pedagogical skills, and capable of organizing effective practice.

- Being capable of developing content, designing scenarios, and crafting assessments suitable to the particularities of dedicated and part-time school medical staff across different educational levels (preschool, primary, lower, and upper secondary).