Job Discussion Forums

[Serious_Fun]

The recent deaths of the young children are causes of concern for all of us working in Hong Kong, and also, of course, sources of sadness.

Are any of you taking extra precautions due to this current outbreak? Is your school making announcements to remind students/staff about this issue?

Do any of you work at Ho Yat Tung Primary School?

Stay healthy!

[ChrisRose]

My wife's KG just got orders to close.


Like many influenzas if that is what is the cause the young are far more vulnerable than middle aged people.


One of the cases of fatalities appears to have been diagnosed as meningiti. It may just be the current flu strains are particularly unpleasant with one or two cases of viral meningitis, although this is pure speculation on my part.

So, KG's are closed.

[Serious_Fun]

[ChrisRose]

Well I just browsed the US CDC website.

Influenza's is the 7th most common course of death. Interesting stuff eh?


I think the government are taking the correct decision with KG and Primary. So far not much information on any secondary students hospitalized.

It'd better to air on the side of caution after the previous incidents. However, poor old F5 students have around 40 days until their HKCEE's so unless there is some noticeable infection of 11 to 18 years olds, I expect secondary school most likely be unaffected.

[Henry_Cowell]

[Horizontal Hero]

HC is the air apparent to being the most pedantic poster here.

I'm in a secondary school. Extra-curricular activities have been canceled already, including a proposed excursion to the mainland during the holidays. When in doubt, blame the mainland. Perfectly reasonable, in my opinion. There's some chance we may close tommorrow - well, if I keep putting pressure on the admin.

[hkteach]

"I'm in a secondary school. Extra-curricular activities have been canceled already, including a proposed excursion to the mainland during the holidays. When in doubt, blame the mainland. Perfectly reasonable, in my opinion. There's some chance we may close tommorrow - well, if I keep putting pressure on the admin." [/quote]

**********************8*********
Well as far as your attendance is concerned, perhaps it won't matter whether your school closes or not - if primary schools' responses are any indication.
Many primary schools have advised their teachers that their Easter break starts at end of school Thursday or Friday (so Nets at those schools are now trying to change their holiday flights) but it seems that many other schools still expect their teachers to attend right up until next Thursday!
Some of those who've closed entirely have advised their teachers that the extra week they get now will be worked in July thus shortening the summer break by the number of days given now.

This is typical Hong Kong - in situations such as this, common sense is not the order of the day.
Many principals believe that holidays are only for the students and whatever the school gives teachers is to be regarded as some sort of bonus rather than part of the working conditions. Sadly, most local teachers seem to find no problem with this.

At my school, the teachers must think they're in seventh heaven because not only aren't the students there (so no teaching or correction) but they work reduced hours (only 7 or 8 instead of their standard 11) AND they can have two-hour lunch breaks. Great!

They spent today getting together all the homework to keep the students profitably (??) occupied for the next two weeks (this will also ensure that, as usual, the kids have no time to play) Then about 40 staff all got on their mobiles and rang the parents to inform them of the kids' homework.
The staffroom looked like a cross between a mail clearing house and a customer service centre !

So what willl the teachers do in those long days with no students and no marking ??
Why, they'll have more time to "plan" (i.e. work out how they can still finish the textbook when they have a week less to do it) and have more meetings (to reset the teaching schedule to accommodate the reduced time frame)
Theyr'e as happy as.

The NETs are NOT! In my case, I'm expected to 'do preparation' - (joke because not only am I as prepared as I can be, but I know that when we return from Easter the teachers will be so busy correcting all the homework they've just set that all my lessons will be cancelled for at least the first week)

So starting tomorrow I'm going to have to choose between twiddling my thumbs, having quiet little sleeps in the English room or doing a lot of internet surfing.

So, be careful what you wish for!

[Serious_Fun]

a decent site for intelligent discussion about the current outbreak:

http://www.newfluwiki2.com/tag.do?tag=Hong%20Kong

[Baroque]

I saw a Sci-fi Film sometime ago shot in a non-descript down town Asian city. The opening had a man enter a public shower cubicle in down town, it could have been 'a' Causeway Bay or Central.

For countries prone to outbreaks such as the Avian Flu and General influenza it might be in the Governments interest to alert public and private Hygiene issues by installing public washrooms and public shower cubicles; either in small shop fronts or specially designed washroom shops in the form of pubilc bathes but not specific to the design of a public bathe.

Ancient Rome adopted that principle. Their City squares had running water. Why can't a modern day city do it? A public cubicle provided with soap, antiseptic creams/ moisturizers. $ 2 a shower, 25 cents to wash your hands for a full clean up.

It provides employment for numerous people from cleaners to plumbers and it keeps the city's personal hygiene at a high standard. This is just a thought and there is no need for lambasting.

N.B Prices for usage is a moot point.