Go easy on workers with HFMD-infected kids, bosses told

KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 (Bernama) - Employers including those from the  private sector must be considerate to their workers if their children are diagnosed with the  hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), said Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Hannah Yeoh.

She said the employer's compassionate act, would allow workers to work from home, or, be allowed to take leave to care for their children.

"I think it's important for employers to be understanding, otherwise parents will feel guilty and send their children to school or nursery, when in fact, their child (needs) to be housed (quarantined) at home so that the disease will not continue to spread," she told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

Yeoh also urged all shopping centres to always sanitise its public facilities including the trolleys that it provided to combat germs and avoid the risk of contracting HFMD outbreaks.

The deputy minister advised that vigilant measures must be taken  in public areas and urged all to reduce outdoor activities with the family at this time.

The HFMD outbreak which affected students in Penang, Kedah and Pahang was reported to have spread to the capital when a class at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Tun Dr Ismail 2 here was closed and all 36 of its students were given leave for 10 days after four of them were infected with HFMD.

The Health Ministry's record showed that there were 35,886 cumulative cases of the disease recorded nationwide from Jan 1 to July 23 this year.

-- BERNAMA