Shaking off this cold is proving harder than I'd anticipated. I've had it for about twelve days so far and its in its last stages but I still have the sniffles at times and my throat becomes sore after I've been talking in the classroom for a few hours. Could be worse though. A work email today revealed that there have been more H1N1 deaths in Korea but this time not elderly sick people who were in the vulnerable bracket. This time its reportedly students of similar age to the ones I teach that have passed away. Though the number of deaths through H1N1 is only 20 out of a nation of over forty million people, some fifty nine schools across the country have been closed indefinitely. We have been told that H1N1 vaccinations will reach school populations within 2-3 weeks. We shall see.
It's noticeable that classroom numbers have been down again recently. In light of these recent developments the 'Mask policy' has been reintroduced/reinforced. All teachers are now 'expected to wear masks throughout the duration of the work day'. If my reading of the email is correct, and it may not be, then that means I must have the mask on at all times. Is this manageable? I tried today to have mine on intermittently during some classes and I was getting a major headache. To keep it on for over six hours is just not going to happen. I presume that here will be times that I can take off the mask. It's hard to imagine it making any difference. This is flu season and people just have to get through it.
Showing posts with label H1N1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label H1N1. Show all posts
Monday, 26 October 2009
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Classroom cheer
Work over the past few days has been pretty routine stuff but there have been a few changes. This week my academy has been taking the H1N1 threat a little more seriously. It would appear that a lot more students from the schools in the surrounding area have been getting flu, though I don't know the severity of 'these cases'. Numbers from my classes have been slightly down, probably due to this. Starting this Monday every student has had their temperature taken before they've been allowed into the classroom. Also they've had their hands sprayed with some kind of hand sanitizer. Teachers have also been instructed to try and wear their masks on the way to and from the classroom. Over the past few weeks most teachers had stopped doing this.
A lot of my students have been ill with colds etc, etc and one of them has presumably given me the cold that I'm currently carrying. Having a cold is a common occurrence for me especially at this time of year but this particular one has been in my system for over five days now. It's nothing serious just the snuffles, a bit of a cough and a sore throat. Still it's no fun having to speak as much as I need to in class right now. Today my voice was closing down on me as the classes went on and i was glad to go home when I did. Still I had a lot of fun with my students today. I watched one girl draw something in her notebook for about two minutes and as the bell rang she told me "teacher, it's your name". See her artwork below.
A lot of my students have been ill with colds etc, etc and one of them has presumably given me the cold that I'm currently carrying. Having a cold is a common occurrence for me especially at this time of year but this particular one has been in my system for over five days now. It's nothing serious just the snuffles, a bit of a cough and a sore throat. Still it's no fun having to speak as much as I need to in class right now. Today my voice was closing down on me as the classes went on and i was glad to go home when I did. Still I had a lot of fun with my students today. I watched one girl draw something in her notebook for about two minutes and as the bell rang she told me "teacher, it's your name". See her artwork below.
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Double take
Every day at work I get my temperature checked at work. I have been doing this for around a month or so now. I don't mind or object to these. I am not sick and have nothing to hide and understand it is for my benefit as well as for my co-workers and students - though why the students don't have them I still can't figure out. Now I am back from Hong Kong, where there is NO hysteria regarding H1N1. Korea seems to think that place is flu city central.
Yesterday someone working for my academy came to my house, before work, to check my temperature. I thought this was a one off especially as I then had my temperature checked later at work. Just now the same guy as yesterday came to my house and checked my ear temperature again. Will this carry on all week? When will the hysteria in Korea die down? Hong Kong didn't seem to be in such a panic. This is all such a waste of time.
Yesterday someone working for my academy came to my house, before work, to check my temperature. I thought this was a one off especially as I then had my temperature checked later at work. Just now the same guy as yesterday came to my house and checked my ear temperature again. Will this carry on all week? When will the hysteria in Korea die down? Hong Kong didn't seem to be in such a panic. This is all such a waste of time.
Monday, 7 September 2009
Masquerade day at work in Korea
Today was the first day of the rules implemented to help 'prevent' H1N1 at my workplace. All the teachers had face masks on at work. However about 50% of my students didn't bring them and those that did, didn't like wearing them so in general didn't for most of the classes. I expected a kaleidoscope of colours and a display of Korean popular youth culture on the kids faces but today it just wasn't to be.
I had interpreted the information given to me by my managers to be that student's must wear them at all times inside the academy. This was far from the case so either I got this wrong or the suggestions were not being implemented. A far bigger issue, for me was that some of the Korean staff were taking this less than seriously. Either we all we wear the masks or we all don't. A halfway house cannot work. So far so useless. But we will persist. Here are some pictures of some of my students taken today at work. Some with masks, some without and some improvising.
Teacher: "Where is your mask?"
Student: "Errrr. I was busy"
A student clearly enjoying my class. By that I mean not listening to me and drawing for fifty minutes.
A success story!
Face mask or napkin? Or towel? Or nappy? Improvisation is what it is!
Making the best out of the situation. I guess.
More to come as the story continues...
I had interpreted the information given to me by my managers to be that student's must wear them at all times inside the academy. This was far from the case so either I got this wrong or the suggestions were not being implemented. A far bigger issue, for me was that some of the Korean staff were taking this less than seriously. Either we all we wear the masks or we all don't. A halfway house cannot work. So far so useless. But we will persist. Here are some pictures of some of my students taken today at work. Some with masks, some without and some improvising.
Teacher: "Where is your mask?"Student: "Errrr. I was busy"
A student clearly enjoying my class. By that I mean not listening to me and drawing for fifty minutes.A success story!Face mask or napkin? Or towel? Or nappy? Improvisation is what it is!Making the best out of the situation. I guess.More to come as the story continues...
Sunday, 6 September 2009
£1 H1N1 solution
Today I purchased my now mandatory-for-work face mask. It cost 2,000₩ or £1. As I said when I found out it was compulsory for work, I don't object to it whatsoever but this cynical Englishman finds it hard to believe that £1 will prevent me from picking up H1N1 or other problems. Especially when there is no soap in the bathrooms at work! Old habits die hard in this country and there certainly are some hygiene issues that need dealing with before getting hysterical about influenza. On a side note, I look ridiculous with the mask on. I would dearly love to go to work wearing something like the William Shatner/Halloween mask but I think that's out of the question here.
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Michael Jackson look-a-like competition next week
Developments at work.
A memo has been sent round to all branches of my company in response to the growing concern in Korea of the H1N1 virus. Whether English teachers like it or not, people in Korea are starting to get more and more worried. For what it's worth, I am not concerned myself. People get ill, people get flu and sometimes unhealthy people die from flu. I know it's more complicated than that but I look after myself and don't consider my lifestyle to be putting me at risk. However, working with kids all day changes the equation doesn't it.
A number of schools in my city, Daegu, have at some point closed for a while or have sent students and teachers home because of H1N1 worries. So far, so good with my workplace. Now though all the children are back at school after their long summer holidays and there are worries that somewhere and somehow the H1N1 virus will start to spread.
Today every student received a letter whilst in class informing them that from Monday they must come to class wearing a face mask - exactly like Michael Jackson used to wear in his later years, presumably to avoid something! And all teachers are to wear masks too - though not at all times in the classroom, mostly just in the corridors and stairwells where there are many people intermingling. I picture a scene of fifty minutes of mumbling in the classroom for 'as long as this lasts'. Indeed one of my students wisely asked me today how could the class go on if nobody could tell what anyone is saying. It won't be as bad as it sounds. At the very least it will be entertaining and something to talk about.
It could be worse. As I said some schools have has periods of closure where people don't get paid. All workers have been reassured that schools will not be closed, vacations will not be cancelled and there will be no quarantine of teachers who go abroad for the October holiday period - basically that would be everybody! I do not know for how long these measures will be taken but I am presuming for a few weeks at least. 'As long as I get paid' is the mantra that I am holding onto.
Prevention is better than a cure and I hope any changes are embraced by myself and my co-workers. So far it looks like we don't have to do much and I need to remember that this is going to protect my job. Hopefully this will make some parents feel that their children are 'safer' and hysteria will, as the seasons change be not be so manic nationwide. I'm pretty certain that if I was a parent I would be more concerned about things too. Roll on November time when the so-called vaccinations are due.
I am still not used to seeing people wear face masks, When I first came to Korea I was often surprised to see many people wearing them out and about the streets largely during the Winter months. I assumed that it was because of the polluted air but was once informed that it was the keep your face warm from the cold. In Korea face masks worn by children are often colourful. I look forward to taking some pictures of how this pans out and what colourful masks the children come up with.
A memo has been sent round to all branches of my company in response to the growing concern in Korea of the H1N1 virus. Whether English teachers like it or not, people in Korea are starting to get more and more worried. For what it's worth, I am not concerned myself. People get ill, people get flu and sometimes unhealthy people die from flu. I know it's more complicated than that but I look after myself and don't consider my lifestyle to be putting me at risk. However, working with kids all day changes the equation doesn't it.
A number of schools in my city, Daegu, have at some point closed for a while or have sent students and teachers home because of H1N1 worries. So far, so good with my workplace. Now though all the children are back at school after their long summer holidays and there are worries that somewhere and somehow the H1N1 virus will start to spread.
Today every student received a letter whilst in class informing them that from Monday they must come to class wearing a face mask - exactly like Michael Jackson used to wear in his later years, presumably to avoid something! And all teachers are to wear masks too - though not at all times in the classroom, mostly just in the corridors and stairwells where there are many people intermingling. I picture a scene of fifty minutes of mumbling in the classroom for 'as long as this lasts'. Indeed one of my students wisely asked me today how could the class go on if nobody could tell what anyone is saying. It won't be as bad as it sounds. At the very least it will be entertaining and something to talk about.
It could be worse. As I said some schools have has periods of closure where people don't get paid. All workers have been reassured that schools will not be closed, vacations will not be cancelled and there will be no quarantine of teachers who go abroad for the October holiday period - basically that would be everybody! I do not know for how long these measures will be taken but I am presuming for a few weeks at least. 'As long as I get paid' is the mantra that I am holding onto.
Prevention is better than a cure and I hope any changes are embraced by myself and my co-workers. So far it looks like we don't have to do much and I need to remember that this is going to protect my job. Hopefully this will make some parents feel that their children are 'safer' and hysteria will, as the seasons change be not be so manic nationwide. I'm pretty certain that if I was a parent I would be more concerned about things too. Roll on November time when the so-called vaccinations are due.
I am still not used to seeing people wear face masks, When I first came to Korea I was often surprised to see many people wearing them out and about the streets largely during the Winter months. I assumed that it was because of the polluted air but was once informed that it was the keep your face warm from the cold. In Korea face masks worn by children are often colourful. I look forward to taking some pictures of how this pans out and what colourful masks the children come up with.
Monday, 20 July 2009
H1N1 testing
My school has started testing both the foreign and Korean teachers for the H1N1 virus (swine flu). This is not at the request of the staff at my branch but a request seemingly from the people at Head office. No big deal and to be honest if someone was sick at my school I think everyone would like to know asap. There have been reported cases of the virus in both Korea and in my city of Daegu so it seems like a sensible idea.
So far so good but why aren't the students being tested? They come into contact with far more people than us teacher do. Even though their schools have broken up for Summer they could still have been carrying this around. Anyway the testing process is basic (and possibly inadequate). Someone sticks an electronic instrument in your ear and press' a button and waits for the temperature to be taken. The process takes four seconds and is painless. I wonder what would happen IF someone had a high temperature, had to leave work and had to be taken to hospital. Would the school close down? Would I still get paid? All questions I hope never need asking.
So far so good but why aren't the students being tested? They come into contact with far more people than us teacher do. Even though their schools have broken up for Summer they could still have been carrying this around. Anyway the testing process is basic (and possibly inadequate). Someone sticks an electronic instrument in your ear and press' a button and waits for the temperature to be taken. The process takes four seconds and is painless. I wonder what would happen IF someone had a high temperature, had to leave work and had to be taken to hospital. Would the school close down? Would I still get paid? All questions I hope never need asking.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
