The 42nd day
The summer lesson for the 特進 classes have been cancelled, as students in each have come down with influenza. As far as I know, all the clubs are still running, but I've been seeing my students even less often than usual...so for the moment, a little on the disruptions the swine flu has brought us.
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After a couple of months spreading on the mainland, the H1N1 strain of influenza finally made it onto the Okinawan mainland. It's apparently not all that unusual to have it spreading now, during Japan's rainy season, although it usually spreads during winter in the more temperate countries. The idea that being indoors with others being a key factor certainly gains weight with these observations.
In Okinawa, my school was one of the first to be affected - classes were cancelled for five days, during which students were expected to stay at home. It was somewhat ridiculous actually - teachers spent an entire evening calling all students to inform them, as the news broke after they'd been dismissed. Teachers still had to come to school, but it meant that most people were able to catch up with work. The unfortunate consequence is that we have to make up those days of school by coming back to school one day early for each of the next two terms. i.e. that's one less day of nenkyuu I can take during each of the corresponding holidays...but if we don't have to cancel any more school, I might just have a longer spring break, fingers crossed!
At the end of semester
Anyway, new guidelines for schools have now been released. Unlike the first knee-jerk reaction (schools were closed if ONE student (or teacher?) was confirmed to have the virus), it's now a lot more sensible.
Breakdown
Class with one confirmed caseif not in contact with other students since symptoms appeared, the student alone has to stay home.
if in contact with other students since contracting it, the class's lessons are suspended for 7 days.Class with two/more confirmed caseslessons are suspended for 7 days.If two/more classes in the year level are suspendedthe entire year level is suspended for 7 days.If two/more year levels are suspendedthe school is closed for 7 days.
The same conditions are to be applied to club activities and summer classes.
Well, I don't want to think of the consequences that all these different levels might have. They'll probably be more complicated than the situation warrants, because influenza is something that happens every year.
Out of confirmed cases, fatility is about 0.8%, which is more than the standard rate of about 0.1%. But does the latter figure also include all that cases that go undetected?
============
After a couple of months spreading on the mainland, the H1N1 strain of influenza finally made it onto the Okinawan mainland. It's apparently not all that unusual to have it spreading now, during Japan's rainy season, although it usually spreads during winter in the more temperate countries. The idea that being indoors with others being a key factor certainly gains weight with these observations.
In Okinawa, my school was one of the first to be affected - classes were cancelled for five days, during which students were expected to stay at home. It was somewhat ridiculous actually - teachers spent an entire evening calling all students to inform them, as the news broke after they'd been dismissed. Teachers still had to come to school, but it meant that most people were able to catch up with work. The unfortunate consequence is that we have to make up those days of school by coming back to school one day early for each of the next two terms. i.e. that's one less day of nenkyuu I can take during each of the corresponding holidays...but if we don't have to cancel any more school, I might just have a longer spring break, fingers crossed!
At the end of semester
Anyway, new guidelines for schools have now been released. Unlike the first knee-jerk reaction (schools were closed if ONE student (or teacher?) was confirmed to have the virus), it's now a lot more sensible.
Breakdown
Class with one confirmed caseif not in contact with other students since symptoms appeared, the student alone has to stay home.
if in contact with other students since contracting it, the class's lessons are suspended for 7 days.Class with two/more confirmed caseslessons are suspended for 7 days.If two/more classes in the year level are suspendedthe entire year level is suspended for 7 days.If two/more year levels are suspendedthe school is closed for 7 days.
The same conditions are to be applied to club activities and summer classes.
Well, I don't want to think of the consequences that all these different levels might have. They'll probably be more complicated than the situation warrants, because influenza is something that happens every year.
Out of confirmed cases, fatility is about 0.8%, which is more than the standard rate of about 0.1%. But does the latter figure also include all that cases that go undetected?