OH BOY OH BOY....
It seems like the media has diverted its attention from the typhoon to the latest craze - the swine flu!
So just how serious is this flu, and how has it been affecting people in Kaohsiung?
Well... to begin with, every school and cram school now spray all their students' hands before they come in for classes. Some schools, especially kindergartens, have been taking their temperature too. Even when I went to the Anime Convention a a few weeks ago, they took EVERYBODY'S temperature before admitting them.
Our school has been giving us face masks as well, to protect ourselves and our students. We had a scare last week when a child went home sick with a fever. But he was back in school again the following week so that just might've been a rumour that got out of hand.
So what about this week?
Today when I went in for work, my colleague told me that two of OUR students, both of which I saw just on Monday, have been diagnosed with H1N1. Right now it's pretty scary... because on Monday, both kids were fine... so nobody knows if you've got it or not because it's probably passed on before any symptoms show!
On another note, H1N1 is not as life threatening as SARS... and many have recovered from it.
And why did we have this sudden escalation of H1N1 cases?
.... Ahhh.... because school just started! It's only been the second week of school and Taiwan has already shut down one of their schools due to the flu. Other than that school, many have stopped certain classes in the school as well. Right now we live by the 325 rule - if you have 3 kids who got diagnosed with H1N1 within 2 days, the school has to be closed down for 5 days =)
Please pray for my two students, Maggie and Jacky, to get well soon from their flu! And also pray for protection for all the teachers and students at the school!
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hey Iris! haha, I didn't know about the 325 rule. I wonder if my school will follow that too? We get SO many temperature checks... once when we get on the school bus, once as the school day starts, once at lunch, and then at the end of the day. Parents are not allowed to come inside to pick up their kids; rather, they must wait outside for their kids to come to them! We even have a temp check roster. That means next Wed and Thur, I have to go to school at 7:30am to beep everyone's forehead for 40 minutes. :S Anyway...a number of people I know have gotten h1n1, and they say it's like any other seasonal flu. Hope you don't have to go through it though :)
ReplyDeletesomeone I know at SFU Surrey has it...they caught it in Seattle too =/
ReplyDeleteyou should be careful though, you're known to get sick....
Don't get sick Iris. I remember u were always sick with a fever earlier.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds so scary about no symptoms at first. More than a week ago, I read something on the internet about H1N1 suggesting ppl to get a vaccine for prevention.
The temperature check sounds like what ppl in HK always do these days.
...yah H1N1 is not life-threatening for most people, except children, women in their 40s, immunocompromised, or pregnants. Interestingly, those born before 1957 are said to have had experienced a flu similar to H1NI in their life time and so are most likely less susceptible to contract the flu. Hence, the key is don't be stressed Iris you are too bless, cuz if you are stressed chronically you will be more susceptible to the flu! Protect the kids!
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