3. Health: The Ultimate Treasure

Communicable diseases: Cold and flu Typhoid Chickenpox

Non-communicable diseases: Diabetes Asthma

Answer: (b) (ii) and (iii)

Asthma and diabetes do not spread from one person to another. Typhoid and measles are caused by pathogens and are communicable.

• Advise sick students to stay at home and rest till they recover.
• Send students with symptoms home or to the sick room, and inform parents.
• Ask everyone to cover the mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing.
• Arrange soap and water for frequent handwashing.
• Clean desks, door handles and taps regularly. Keep classrooms airy.
• Avoid assemblies and crowded gatherings for some days.

• Speak kindly and ask how he or she is feeling.
• Politely suggest wearing a mask and seeing the school nurse or a doctor.
• Offer to share class notes so that he or she can rest at home without worry.
• Do not tease, avoid or make fun of the classmate.

• Wash hands often with soap and water.
• Wear a mask and avoid touching the eyes, nose and mouth.
• Do not share water bottles, tiffin, handkerchiefs or towels.
• Eat nutritious food, sleep well and drink enough water.
• If I fall ill, stay at home and cover my coughs and sneezes.

• Before: consult a doctor. Pack mosquito nets, mosquito repellent and full-sleeved clothes.
• During: sleep under a mosquito net. Use repellent. Wear full-sleeved clothes, especially in the evening. Stay away from stagnant water.
• After: watch for fever, chills or body ache for a few weeks. If they appear, see a doctor at once and get a blood test.

Malaria spreads through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. A mosquito net and a repellent stop mosquitoes from biting us. No bite means no malaria. Using them is easier than falling ill.

They may get malaria. They may become seriously ill and miss school or work. They may also carry the disease back home, where it can spread to others.

I would politely tell him that I care about him. Smoking harms the lungs and heart and can cause cancer. Its smoke also harms family members who breathe it. Real friends will respect his choice to stay healthy.

I would firmly say “No, thank you.” I would not give in to peer pressure. If my friend insists, I would move away from that group.

• Hold awareness talks by doctors and counsellors.
• Run poster, skit and essay activities on the harmful effects of tobacco.
• Keep the school campus tobacco-free.
• Provide counselling for students who need help.

• Can antibiotics cure a cold or flu, which are caused by viruses?
• Do antibiotics work against malaria, which is caused by a protozoan?
• What happens if bacteria become resistant to an antibiotic?
• Can antibiotics prevent non-communicable diseases like diabetes?

These questions will help Saniya see that antibiotics work only against bacterial infections. They do not work against viruses or protozoa.

July, August and September (65 cases each).

January (10 cases).

July to September is the monsoon season. Rainwater collects in pits, tyres, coolers and pots. The weather is warm and humid. Dengue mosquitoes breed in such clean stagnant water. More mosquitoes lead to more dengue cases.

• Remove stagnant water from containers, tyres, coolers and pots every week.
• Spray mosquito-control chemicals and keep drains clean.
• Run awareness campaigns on using nets, repellents and full-sleeved clothes.
• Prepare hospitals for testing and treatment of patients.

For communicable diseases:

• Wash your hands with soap and water.
• Drink clean, safe water and eat freshly cooked food.
• Do not let water collect — stop mosquito breeding.
• Get all your vaccines on time.

For non-communicable diseases:

• Eat a balanced diet. Cut down on sugar, salt, oil and junk food.
• Exercise or play outdoors for at least one hour every day.
• Sleep well and limit screen time.
• Say no to tobacco and alcohol.

Antibiotics work only against bacteria. They target parts of bacterial cells. Viruses do not have these parts. So antibiotics cannot kill viruses.

Taking antibiotics when not needed also helps bacteria become resistant to them. Then the antibiotic may not work when we really need it.

Hepatitis A Poliomyelitis Cholera

Tuberculosis and chickenpox spread through air, not through contaminated water.

During the first exposure, the immune system meets the pathogen for the first time. It takes time to recognise it and build defence against it. So the response is slow and low.

The immune system remembers this pathogen. When the same pathogen enters again, the body recognises it quickly. It attacks the pathogen fast and strongly.