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Situation in China

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2020 10:52 am
by fine dude
How are international schools in China coping with the growing viral infections? Just read HK shut down schools till mid-February.

Response

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2020 6:58 pm
by PsyGuy
The US DOS is evacuating their consulate and has offered very limited space available flight transportation back to the US (reimbursable basis).

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:13 am
by eion_padraig
In Shanghai, many schools I've heard (maybe they all have; I just know about 5 of them have from friends) have followed the guidelines of the local government and students won't be back on campus until Feb 17th. I'd guess they could push that back if needed.

As far as teachers reporting to work, that has varied. Some won't have teachers back until Feb 17th. I've heard of one that wants their teachers back in Shanghai by Feb 3rd when school was going to start up, and another that told teachers to return by Feb 10th.

There is a lot of things up in the air. I have friends in a southern Chinese city who were also told to be back in the city by Feb 3rd, though school has been cancelled until Feb 17th.

China feels a lot like it did during the SARS outbreak. This time the problem was made worse by the city government in Wuhan this time, though I think the national government in Beijing is working to share information and make important decisions. The national government post-SARS has generally been effective as bird flus, swine flus, MERS, etc have impacted China to varying degrees.

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:13 am
by Overseashire
Schools in Shanghai seem to have been told to cancel school until February 17, that’s when Chinese schools end their CNY holiday. Our school has not told us what happens on the 3rd, whether we report to school or what. We have to do virtual school, whatever that might look like.

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 5:13 am
by mamava
A friend in Guangzhou was told to report back on Feb. 3 and they'll work on trying to implement some sort of virtual school until students come back (right now set for the 17th). We were in Beijing during H1N1 and lots of schools were forced to close and lots of quarantines because of the mishandling of SARS. Our school stayed open, but we all to have temp. checks before we entered school and there were random checks throughout the day and health officials at the school all the time.

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:40 pm
by Overseashire
We have now been told we need to go wherever we feel safe and wait for more information. We are expected to offer our classes online. I have also been told that there is a push from some Chinese government officials to close all schools in some regions until March 2, I have not heard this about Shanghai however

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 7:27 pm
by monkeycat
We are in Shandong province and our school is closed until Feb 17. School said we will provide distance learning, but no details on what that will look like.

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:03 am
by fine dude
Thank you all. Apparently, my cousin who works there got out of the country yesterday. Apparently, it's getting worse and my friends say WHO might declare a worldwide public health emergency in a day or two. British Airways suspended all flights to China starting today. If it were summer, we'dn't have to worry this much. The cold weather is making things far worse.

Comment

Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 3:00 pm
by PsyGuy
If youre going to get out you may want to strongly consider doing so before the end of the weekend.

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 2:58 am
by round_the_world
Hong Kong just closed schools until March 2. My school/province is closed until February 17 as of right now with online lessons taking place. I am concerned about the long term effect of the closures (and of the .). Will the closures persist into March? Will we all still be paid? Will the school year be extended?

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 8:14 am
by TeachAsiaIntl
My school was meant to be returning on the 17th and has now pushed that by a week or more. Nothing confirmed yet. I have not flown back to China yet so I am now worried about the possibility of airports closing. Especially after the decision by WHO last night.
PsyGuy wrote:
> If youre going to get out you may want to strongly consider doing so before the end
> of the weekend.
Do you think the airports will be shut before the end of the weekend?
I am also concerned about the long term effect of the closures.

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2020 10:22 am
by shawanda
I would not touch China with a ten mile pole!

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2020 12:35 am
by mysharona
We flew back to the US yesterday, after the deadline, and the immigration officer essentially gave us a big yawn and welcomed us back.

We were told today not to expect to return on the 17th, which was the first prediction. Some are betting early April.

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2020 2:44 pm
by blackspec
My school keeps telling me to report the 10th so I can do my 14 day quarantine just incase we go back the 24th. I have thought about it and just can't do it. I have signed a contract for next year outside of China and might just step down before I report. I am using the flights as an excuse but they have found a way to get me back thru Korea.

Re: Situation in China

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2020 4:41 pm
by Cailin
Does anyone know the legalities, if any, of leaving now and not returning if the schools does reopen?
Or if the school is obliged to pay until end of contract even if they do not reopen?
What about expenses - short notice flights etc? Insurance?
I imagine people are racking up hotel bills having to stay out of the country on extended Chinese New Year holidays.

Not in China myself but wondering what happens in cases like this.

I do know of schools that closed because of political unrest and staff were told to leave, but were paid till the end of the school year (presumably because they could have been called back at any time).

When schools in Kuwait could not reopen after the summer, I heard of staff stranded with no job, no money.

Maybe it depends on the school.