Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sojourner1]

This article claims influenza viruses start in rural parts of Asia so we're the 1st to get sick in the world.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3684599/

This is the year we should had gotten flu shots for sure as when you get it, it hits you like a ton of bricks the matter of only 2 hours.

You begin to feel unusually tired with plemg running in the back of your throat and then the next day, you just want to stay in bed and nothing more with a headache, chills, and extreme weakness and fatigue.

I just come down with it Thursday night myself and it's awful. I went to bed at 6 last night and layed there until 7:30 this morning and will go back to bed by noon at the latest.

Many of the students out here have been coming down with it in the past 1 1/2 week where they're too tired and achy and just need to go to bed for several days.

Anyone else seeing a bad flu season starting up right now? Does Korea have flu shots? If so, wouldn't the teachers and kids get them? If the Korean teachers get them, why wouldn't they offer to FT? I haven't seen a Korean teacher get sick yet this season.

I remember back in the 1980's how awful strains of flu would just keep kids home from school for 1 to 2 weeks at a time and half the school would come down with it. Late December and through mid February was flu season and it makes sense that it starts in November in Asia as this is where it begins. My guess is it probably has to do with Asia being over populated with very unsanitary conditions.

After graduating high school in 1991, I never got the flu again until I came to Korea in early 2007. The viruses tend to be worse and the earliest in Asia, but they're really bad when they make it to the USA and other western countries. There are nasty looking small farms around where I live and work and they are indeed disgusting and nothing in the school is sanitized with bleach so it looks like a prime incubating ground for germs.

[moosehead]

yes there are flu shots here - see the other thread about this

over a decade ago it was determined most flu viruses do originate in Asia, usually China, in rural farm areas due to lack of sanitary conditions, as you surmised.

they are usually animal based and mutate into forms which infect humans. due to the mutations there are new viruses every year which is why we need new flu shots every year.

Ks do get sick but too many of them load up on caffeine to avoid appearing "weak" and keep on going out which spreads the virus to others.

Unfortunately, this behavior also allows for the virus to mutate into stronger and more lethal forms which is why by the time it hits Westerners, we get a one-two punch from it.

I recall when my son was young children brought to school who became ill were isolated and the parents called immediately. If a child had a fever they were immediately sent home. Here, it's put your head down on your desk for a while,that's it.

The other morning I passed one of my students on the way to school. Her father was walkng her to school. She began vomiting right there in the street. I knew she'd be in class later so I told her teacher what I saw. Sure enough, she was sent on to school - that kid could have had a serious illness!! and she was only in first grade!!

there really needs to be more public health initiatives here for not just Ks but to protect the rest of the world from the ignorance of the masses who just don't get it.

[sojourner1]

Yes, that is part of it. The other part is insanitary overcrowded small spaces kind of condition in Asia. Even in the rural parts, both humans and animals are cramped together in awfully filthy places.

I would imagine there's simply no one at home to care for a sick child so he/she is just brought to school to make others sick which in turn = more suffering and losses. With the sick people going to school or work, there's still many losses, because they don't really perform as no one can do much when they got the flu. I don't understand why grand parents don't help out with that, but instead they just bitterly walk around the neighborhood, stare, and gossip about everything and search for tiny plants all day. They just don't' show warm compassionate love for each other or their children.

I suppose it's a cultural matter where they're just expected to go to school and work no matter what which creates a cesspool of germs. There also doesn't seem to be a school nurses who give an approval to send a child home or to the hospital. There also don't seem to be substitute teachers in Korean schools which makes Korean teachers have the responsibility of being at work no matter what unless in the hospital for something really really serious.


When are Korea and other Asian countries going to realize what's going on? This is one of the primary reasons Korea is still not a 1st world country despite doing quite well for itself in the past decade in business, manufacturing, and finance. Actually executive office buildings and homes are often very advanced state of the art 1st world and overly sanitary, but general community lacks severely.

It doesn't really appear Korea takes education seriously with how crappy they do school, both public and hagwon, but it's simply a system to watch the kids while parents are out all day and night.

[crusher_of_heads]

I think I had it this past week.

I carry around saniizer at school, and instead of high fives with students I bump closed fists.

Yes, they should be more proactive in shots; teachers are exposed to more colds' bacteria no matter where we are, but I'm inclined to agree it's worse here, as schools are a babysitting service.

I knew that before coming over. If you're waiting to see innovation from South Koreans, do not get your hopes up.

[KYC]

2 weeks ago, the ct told they were giving flu shots at school. The fee was 10,000 won. I declined since I have a pretty strong immune system, and I really hate needles.

A week later, I got the flu. I dragged my butt to school on Monday and almost passed out. I couldn't even teach my classes, so I slept all day at school. Went to the hospital, got 45 pills..and that's just for 3 days worth of meds. I still feel a little crappy but much better overall.

[bassexpander]

And that 10,000 won flu shot probably wouldn't have helped you anyway. I got the flu a month ago -- before the flu shots were around at my school.

It wasn't nearly as bad as that montezuma's revenge thing that hit me this summer -- that was horrible. Three days of toilet runs every 30 mins.

[MrRogers]

read the thread:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=137869

got a flu shot some days ago

I live in a rural town in the southern mountains and go to nine different public schools - all terrible sanitary conditions and everyone on the streets, in stores, and of course, the stores - coughing all over everything and everybody

also the fresh chicken-in-the-cage then slaughter-and-fry-up shop is common in this town - one two buildings down from where I am - this province was also ripe with bird flu in the spring

I just cross my fingers I don't get something worse than the regular flu before I am outta here in a couple of weeks

[MrRogers]

crusher-of-heads wrote:

[moosehead]

yeah the lack of a school nurse is mindboggling - - my first elem school was very ghetto but we had a full time nurse so I believed all schools had them

now I'm in a private elem school but we only have part time volunteer moms who show up once in a while


I wouldn't go so far as to say offices are so sanitary - was in Emart the other night - and have been in other offices - I don't think anywhere in this country they pump in fresh air when it's cool outside - !! it's so freakin- hot!!

there's no concept of ambient room temp - bacteria and viruses are virtually all temp sensitive - hence we chill food or cook it as indicated -

don't go in Emart on a crowded weekend past 12 noon - you'll be exposed to lord knows what - ! the temp is high, people are all over each other - is a cess pool of exposure

[PeteJB]

Your putting the fear of death into me.

[gangpae]

I suggest building a bubble in your one-room and wearing a moon suit for any excursions outside.

[sojourner1]