Job Discussion Forums

[isabel]

What is going on there? I have been following the news on-line, but how is it affecting the university schedules and other things? I did read that some have changed their schedules.

[veiledsentiments]

The schedules changed because of Ramadhan and Eid actually. But, I think that they are hoping that they will also be better organized to deal with any flu problems after the holidays. Who knows...

This is pretty much uncharted territory for these countries. At least those of us over 50 are likely to have some immunity since a similar bug circulated in the past... unless one has an underlying medical problem, of course.

Another adventure in international education!!

VS

[Opti]

As has been in the news, the SQU fall semester will start on Sat. 26 Sept. That means the January break between semesters will be much shorter.

[isabel]

I was asking because of News articles like the following:

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2009/September/middleeast_September72.xml&section=middleeast&col=

[Opti]

I have not heard of anyone at SQU having H1N1 now, but the government does not publish or let others publish complete statistics, so it is hard to know. Teachers are reporting to work every day and superficially, at least, everything seems normal. There are a few more people wearing masks out and about with the rest of the populace shopping and going about their daily lives, but no evidence of any mass epidemic. If you read the blog by Dhofari Gucci, you get the feeling that the situation might be worse than reported, especially in the Dhofar region. Because many fasting Muslims are also somewhat weakened by lack of sleep from staying up late to eat and socialize�esp. university-aged students away from their families at school�SQU and other universities & schools decided to minimize the risk of contagion by letting their students stay at home through Ramadan and Eid. In previous years, students were at university through Ramadan and a lot of them became exhausted and caught colds, etc., which spread to other students and faculty.

[veiledsentiments]

[Neil McBeath]

From The Week, Wednesday 9th September.

As Oman braces itself for another H1N1 outbreak, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has issued Royal Orders to form a Supreme H1N1 Committee to tackle the pandemic. But following ten deaths and more than 1,300 people being infected with the virus, there is finally good news. A batch of 100,000 vaccines against the virus is expected to arrive in the country next month. The vaccines - produced by GlaxoSmithKlein - are being imported from the UK by Muscat Pharmacy.

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said issued Royal Orders to form a Supreme H1N1 Committee to tackle the H1N1 pandemic. The committee will follow up the measures taken by the various departments concerned with containing the spread of the flu. The Diwan of the Royal Court, in a statement announcing the Royal Orders, said that the committee will also see that the necessary facilities and capacities are made available to ensure the situation is under control.

The Royal Orders state that the committee will be chaired by the Minister of the Diwan of the Royal Court, with the Minister of the Royal Office, the Minister of the Interior, The Minister of National Economy and Deputy Chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs and the Minister of Information as members.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Education predicted a rise in H1N1 infections during the winter months. The ministry's Dr Muna Salem al Jadaney held a meeting with representatives of health awareness groups on the preparations required to deal with H1N1 in schools. According to her, the Ministry of Education, along with the Ministry of Health (MoH), has formed a cebntral committee of specialists that will work with teams in governates and school districts. The committee will oversee the implementation of activities and campaigns, as well as the recommendations on how to deal with the virus.

[Opti]

Thanks for your update, Neil. Earlier today I wrote a cynical post about the new tangled bureaucracy of notables described in your newspaper quote. That may be true, but I just talked with a well-respected Omani doctor who believes that everyone is over-reacting. He thinks the panic is caused by the media in the USA, but a friend of mine blames the WHO.

Maybe 100,000 vaccine jabs will be enough? I hope so.

[veiledsentiments]

I suspect that it may be overreaction for this particular virus since fortunately it has not yet mutated into something more serious. What spooked medical authorities all over the world (not just the US) is that it is a related virus to the old Spanish Flu. It has also followed the pattern of that flu... starting in the off-flu season and spreading extremely rapidly. And, it was showing itself capable of killing the young and healthy rather than just those with underlying medical issues or the elderly as the annual flu season does.

This may not be "the" flu pandemic, but it is "a" pandemic and it is giving the world's health authorities a good practice run on organization for when it does come.

I don't think anyone should be "blamed" for being cautious with a virus that could easily have mutated just as happened in the early part of the 1900s and this one could have swept away millions of children. Think what we would be posting if they had done no preparation and it did turn into "the" pandemic.

VS

[jdl]

This from "The Week" Sept 09/09


Close to 80 per cent of the H1N1 deaths have been reported from Dhofar province, sending alarm bells ringing at the Health Ministry. Till now, the ministry has recorded 12 deaths, of which nine have been reported from Dhofar province.

�The cool climate is helping the spread of the disease,� a senior official of the Health Ministry said. The total number of H1N1 positive cases has now reached 1,370, of which Dhofar region has reported more than 700.

�We have to increase public awareness in Dhofar province as the virus is transmitted through physical contact and coughing,� the official stressed. To this end, the Ministry of Health is organising a series of seminars and issuing pamphlets across Dhofar. �Health education is the best way to avoid the spread of the virus. People should be advised to avoid crowded places and wash their hands with soap and water regularly,� the official added.

He also said that the ministry has been in touch with major drug firms to source the largest possible quantity of vaccines. �The first batch will reach the sultanate in October,� he added.

About 1.8mn vials of the vaccine are expected to be sourced, which could rise to 2mn by the beginning of next year. A committee has been set up for the distribution of vaccines. Priority will be given to those working in health institutions, pregnant women, children and the elderly who are suffering from chronic diseases.

[lostdegaine]

[quote="Opti] That may be true, but I just talked with a well-respected Omani doctor who believes that everyone is over-reacting. He thinks the panic is caused by the media in the USA, but a friend of mine blames the WHO. [/quote]

I agree that Oman seems to be overreacting to H1N1, but it seems to me that any panic has come from the Omanis themselves, not from the US media. Are there any American universities that have delayed the opening of the school year like SQU and other universities here?

Also, in Oman the private international schools were not delayed and are operating normally - ABA, the British School, TAISM, the Indian schools. Only the government schools are closed. The paranoid over H1N1 in the Gulf seems to be stronger here than in other regions of the world.

By the way, the rumor going around today was that the opening of the school year might be delayed even further perhaps till the end of the semester. This is totally unsubstantiated gossip, but it�s fun to spread.

[desultude]

[lotsa]

There has been 12 deaths now and over 1350 reported cases carrying the symptoms. Using the word panic to describe the situation is a rather subjective way of looking at it. Think of what the word panic actually means. If there was panic, everything would be shut - and that's just not the case. The biggest risk area is in Dhofar where over 700 cases have been reported.

Living in Muscat I have no cause for panic because I take precautions by using alcohol gel to clean my hands and keep distance from those coughing sneezing. Institutions will decide at the end of the day what action they will take, and if it means they shut down for a period, then so be it - not much more analysis is needed than that (otherwise the panic-freaks will do what they do best!).

[WellRoundedSquare]

Well this seems to explain why nobody is willing to tell me when I'll be entering the country. Is anyone else waiting around after having been told their visa was processed and they're just waiting on the plane ticket?

[desultude]