Job Discussion Forums

Noelle · Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 361 Location: USA

hello all

I've not been in China since 2004 but from what I remember of working there, schools don't generally close for anything other than public holidays.
I'm in South Korea now where over 40 schools have closed or delayed opening over this swine flu business. I asked the same question on the Japan forum as well... wondering just how neurotic the Koreans are really being about all of this.

What has been the response to H1N1 there in mainland China? I can't imagine any of the private languages schools or franchises would ever close over something like that but what about the public schools and universities?

Hobo Stew · Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 26 Location: USA

I came back in June from Sichuan Province. One US mother and teen daughter who visited the cities around Beijing for several weeks, said that they quite often came across frightened or angry locals who believe that H1N1 started in the US, rather than Mexico. I don't know if any coastal or Beijing schools were closed, but in Chengdu (Sichuan) the schools were in session and only a few people looked concerned when someone sneezed or coughed. Masks are common for pollution anyway, so it's hard to say how many were worn for flu reasons. Nationwide, I really don't think they will close a school unless there's an obvious outbreak for that school, neighborhood, or town. Quarantine for travelers with a fever was a daily occurence and could last up to 10 days.

Go to China and don't worry about the scare, just keep handsanitizer or alcohol wipes with you at all times and the people will be grateful.

happigur1 · Joined: 25 Jul 2009 Posts: 228 Location: USA

One school in Henan was closed after 80 students were confirmed with the virus. Everybody at the school I will be at has to have their temperature checked before going to classes (not sure about students) and all foreign teacher will be quarantined for a week after arrival...

crunchyone · Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Posts: 65

Everybody entering the school I work in has their temp checked by the gate guards. Everybody who lives on campus has their temp checked every morning.

c

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

They have restricted access to the campus I work at. They will check my FEC every time I enter (I am sure they will get tired and just let me through in a week or so). I had to get my wife an entry/exit cert, but they don't bother her for some reason. Apparently they are sporadically preventing the kuaidi guys from coming in. I say sporadically because I still see some of them driving around.

There are 6 cases at my university now. Everybody coming back wasn't quarantined I guess. They should have been forced to stay home for the week FTs seem to have been getting. I never left so I don't know, but some posters here have mentioned that.

They are, despite the little outbreak, continuing with classes. After all, it is just the flu.

randyj · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:07 am Post subject:

Remember SARS.

Sonnibarger · Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 320 Location: Wuhan

FT's were given an extra week off (paid) at the beginning of term... we were told to call the school if we came down with a fever.... one thing i found strange.... my wife felt a little sick and went to a pharmacy to get meds... she told them she had a fever and thought she may have swine flu... the staff just laughed at her.. asked if she had left china recently... basically said "silly girl u cant catch it living in China".. like aids its only a laowai condition.

Ariadne · Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 960

Our university required FTs to get their temp taken twice a day when they arrived on campus.. at the clinic. Now all students and all teachers are being asked to take their own temps twice a day.

.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

I just heard that 2 schools in Shenyang are closed. I just got here to China and it seems that they are more worried about foreigners than Chinese. Which is odd, because we generally wash our hands after we pee/poo, refrain from spitting all over the place, and cover our mouths when we cough and our noses when we sneeze.

Ah....love to be back. Wink

chengdu4me · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 10:32 am Post subject:

My son (14) must take his temp before he leaves for school each day and write it down on a form. Mom must sign the form and my son shows this form everyday to the security dude at the gate of the school. If his temp in not within normal range, Deputy Dawg is not allowed to let him on the school grounds.

I would imagine the very first case that gets through the gate, the procedures will change to a more "hands-on" approach.

I am in Chengdu.

Renegade_o_Funk · Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 125

My University is completely gated to keep out all the rifrafs, so all the students go in and out through one main entrance, and everyone coming in get's their temperautre scanned, every time. Sometimes the guards will try to flirt with the girls by using that temp gun to check their temperatures in different places...

Halapo · Joined: 05 Sep 2009 Posts: 140 Location: Jiangsu, China

I got back into the country with no problems.

At the airport in Shanghai, they have the scanners up, but right now none of the staff were watching all that carefully.

Same deal at the bus station and the town of town train station.

Most Chinese citizens are a "little" better informed, I don't think they think the flu comes from the USA, but they do think any foreigner will have it. I don't think many of them realize how often Chinese tourist go overseas.

No special steps were taken at my school, but this a a fairly sleepy town in many ways.