General practitioner C P Tan said: 'They plead and say things like they don't want to disappoint their child or how it would be a waste of money for them to drop their holiday plans.

'However, unless the child's illness has completely resolved, I will turn them down.'

Another GP, Dr L H Wong, said her clinic assistant had called a sick boy's home for an update on his condition.

Dr Wong said: 'The assistant was shocked when the maid told her the family had gone to Disneyland (in Hong Kong).

'When I called the mother, she told me she was sure her son had recovered, before adding that he still had some ulcers in the mouth.'

Dr Wong said that HFMD is spread from person to person by direct contact with nasal discharge, saliva, faeces and fluid from the rash of an infected person.

The disease can also be spread through the air.

Paediatrician Benjamin Lim advised parents of sick children to postpone or cancel holiday plans.

'It's a question of responsibility. The incubation period of HFMD is three to five days.

CONTAGIOUS

'A child infected with HFMD is contagious throughout the duration of the illness,' he said.

Housewife Yeo Bee Geok, 44, who has a 7-year-old daughter, said: 'Now that it's the school holidays, there'll be no one (like teachers) to monitor the situation.

'What happens if irresponsible parents allow their children to go out?'

Dr Tan said: 'As it is, other children living in the same household may also get infected.

'Parents should check these children daily before they are allowed to go to school or childcare centres.'

And while the child remains at home, proper hygiene should be practised to prevent transmission to other family members.

Dr Lim said: 'Despite the Ministry's efforts and constant reminders, some parents still choose to ignore the advice that contact with other children should be avoided until the child recovers.'

This year so far, a total of 13,401 HFMD cases have been notified to MOH.

In the week ending 24 May, the number of notified cases came down by 22 per cent to 729 from 940 in the previous week.

Emergency measures

• Parliament in April gave Health Minister sweeping powers if country faces disastrous health threat. 
• This includes authority to close shopping centres, take over private hospitals and arrest suspects without warrant. 
• Powers are for use only when the country faces health threat with potential to kill many people. 
• In 2003 Sars outbreak, when some disobeyed quarantine orders, surveillance cameras were used in their homes and wrist-tags slapped on repeat offenders.

This story was first published in The New Paper on June 31, 2008.