In summary, during an outbreak of
HFMD or herpangina from HEV71,
hand-washing by preschool-aged children
and their caregivers had an important
mitigating effect and was
highly protective at the individual
level. In future HEV71 transmission
seasons, we strongly recommend
that local health authorities emphasize
correct methods of handwashing
and the strong level of protection
that parents can expect to
see from their efforts.