Corona Virus

I’ll jump ahead a few needed entries to present day.  Corona virus … is it impacting me?

Well, I haven’t seen a student in my classroom since 21 January. 

Our annual Tet break began 22 January.  The whole country essentially shuts down to celebrate the Lunar New Year.  I do mean shuts down.  I have a friend who knew in August that her brother and his partner were coming for a week during Tet since she would have the time off.  In August, she could not find a hotel that would be open for the whole week.  Tradition is, everyone returns to the village/home town to be with the extended family, make the traditional food, eat large feasts, play the traditional games, and toast the new year.  Everything is closed for at least two days (weekend or no weekend) but the celebration lasts for 10-14 days.   I still marvel that the U.S. military didn’t realize the extent to which the people of Vietnam were willing to fight for independence given their drastic military move known as the Tet Offensive.   

Anyhow, S2 and I went to Myanmar for Tet, but that’s a different post.

While we were there, the news of corona virus broke.  It was easy to track the steps China was taking.  They are, after all, our neighbor and a big supplier of tourists and supplies in this region.  A colleague had gone to visit family in Shanghai for Lunar New Year, but after two days she returned to HCMC.  She wasn’t sick, but China knew how to react and they were shutting things down.  It was during the Tet break that Vietnam closed the border with China.

Upon my return on 1 February, the school director sent out a message saying there would be no students the following week.  Professional Development days were already scheduled for 3 and 4 February, but students were scheduled to return on 6 February.  Back at school, teachers moved quickly to get distance learning plans in place and used the various platforms we already had access to for delivering lessons to students, and in my case, parents.  I mean, 3- and 4-year olds don’t really have email accounts. 

Have you ever thought about all that needs to be in the head of a child that old to be able to “log in”?  Before even knowing how to spell one’s name, they have to be able to match the shapes, the lines, the dots, and the patterns that make letters, both upper and lower case.  It is actually quite a hilarious experience to make that first trip to a computer lab.  Well, hilarious from an adult perspective not trying to accomplish getting a class of young children into computer accounts.

Upon the return to school, temperature checks started.  From then until now (and for the foreseeable future) to get on campus, my temperature is checked at the gate (because I ride my bicycle) and in the lobby of the school (because that is where they can track who has their temperature checked).  I know of no staff member who has been sent home due to a high temperature.  The school set up a quarantine room for any student who comes on campus with a fever.  Admin has a plan to have 1600 temperatures taken between 7 and 8 AM (when students return).  Back in early February, officials throughout the country were struggling to get enough thermometers, hand sanitizers and some specific kinds of masks.  As I understand it, Australia helped us.  Stores ration it all by allowing any given customer to purchase at the most two packets of these precious commodities.

It was at this time that the apartment complex where I live added a thermometer to the receptionist and security guard at the front desk and installed hand sanitizers at the elevator doors, as well as the reception counter.   

Perhaps, via John Oliver, you are aware of the song that was written to encourage people to wash their hands.   Yes, the song is catchy, my Vietnamese Learning Assistant tells me part of the popularity is that the song is to the tune of a famous break-up song.  Hand washing became part of the distance learning lessons at my level.   

There are countless public service announcements about the necessary steps to be taking.

On 7 February, we learned there would be no students the following week.  By 14 February, we knew we would have no students for the whole month of February.  In February, as reported by the government, we had 16 active cases of corona virus.  All of whom recovered.  There was speculation that the government was under reporting cases.  Why would they shut down all schools (including universities) in the whole country for 16 cases?

There was growing concern about the economic impact for Vietnam.  With the Chinese border closed, there was a sudden abundance of dragon fruit, watermelon, durian (no thanks), and lobster (among other things).  Just as I’m prone to join in boycotts, I felt a need to help support those impacted by this abundance of food.  I helped organize the purchase of 10 lobsters … and colleagues (and neighbors) learned how to cook them.  It was a feast!

Wearing face masks is quite common here.  The pollution, dust and air quality index are realities.  On any given day, one can buy and see a wide variety of themed face masks, most often worn when riding a motorbike.  I had some in the closet leftover from last year when I had a respiratory infection.  It was easy to get them out and carry one in case I ended up in a situation where they were required.  They are required when riding the school bus, but not on the public bus.

All seemed to be going well.    All 16 cases in Vietnam recovered.  No new cases were reported.  Then Italy, Iran, and South Korea had a spike in numbers.  School closures remained in place, although talks of a staggered return to school (by grade level) was announced.  Grade 12 students, in both public schools and international schools, have major exams, usually scheduled for May (international) and June (public).  The Vietnamese government has postponed their graduation exams until August (extended from July).  The International Baccalaureate has not (as of this writing).

My own school took a gamble.  It looked like students would be allowed to return on 16 March, which would give us 12 weeks with students before the end of the school year on 5 June.  Our Spring Break was scheduled for the week of 30 March.  It certainly didn’t make sense to return to school for 2 weeks and then have a week off.  Our director announced on Tuesday, 3 March that Spring Break would be the following week.

Little did our director know, to quote the Vietnam Express (source of English news), the arrival of Vietnam Airlines flight 54 – London to Hanoi on 2 March has changed everything.  After 22 days of no new confirmed cases, we have 34 new cases.  Fifteen of those cases are traced to that flight.  Even while I've been writing this, 5 more cases have been identified (as released by the news).

Yesterday, I received notice that we will not have students for three more weeks (through 3 April).  Then today … based on all the places my colleagues went for Spring Break (inside and outside of the country), we are all in self-quarantine for the next 2 weeks.  I will be working from home, coordinating with colleagues as we try to deliver a distance home learning program to preschoolers.   

Yes, a wild ride to say the least.  And what an end to a teaching career.

Once everyone returns to school (well, grades 1-12) we will go on an extended day schedule.  Students will stay until 4:20. This is not an option for Early Years.  We will put students on buses at 12:50 so the buses can deliver the children home and return to school in order to take everyone else home.  Yes, our busing and traffic are that complex.

My spring break was spent having cataract surgery, so I didn’t even go anywhere.  S2 took a bike ride to Cat Tien National Park and had a wonderful time.  Apart from my eyes working to focus under new conditions (without glasses) all is right in this corner of the world, with me.  Take care, wash your hands, and do all you can to keep your spirits up!