Coronavirus in Asia - for those who live there

[AsiaTruly]

What is the situation where you are?

Here - Singapore. School is taking temperature, travel disclosure and enforced leave of absence for anyone who has been to, or had a visitor from, mainland China.

People seem to be mostly going about their lives, but many in masks. Coronavirus is topic of conversation no. 1.

I'm not sure what we all really think will happen next. Singapore has done an incredible job of confining it and tracing. But is it confined? Who knows.

Friends in China are in a very different situation. Some stuck on holiday after cny. Some on lockdown.

Friends in Malaysia, similar to Singapore really.

How are you guys all doing?

Anyone?

I can't be the only one here?

Confirmed cases in Japan.
Fewer people on public transport and it’s hitting the tourist industry hard in terms of loss of visitors and business.
People wearing masks a lot and hand disinfectant dispensers appearing in lots of places.
Guidelines have been issued in schools and places of work. Some people are only leaving the house for essential trips.
We don’t know how long this will carry on so...
The sooner some kind of vaccine is developed the better.

Are schools still open and business as usual in Japan? Still open here but lots of restrictions.

Also lots of masks and a temporary lack of loo roll and rice in the shops!

I'm in KL, sounds the same as Singapore, for now. They are watching things like upcoming trips etc very closely, and some have already been cancelled.
But everything else is business as usual. At the moment.

Schools open, but some are asking students to stay home if someone in the family has a fever, until they have been tested for Coronavirus.
Business as usual, really, but people are worried.

Singapore too - the govt has been really good. It’s hard to know whether to stay at home (away from other people) as some of my friends have done, or to go about your life as normal...
I’m avoiding meet ups unless v small. I do t know how it’s going to pan out!
I was living in the U.K. during SARS, and barely thought about it - it this time I’m obsessed!

I'm in Bangkok and it sounds similar to Singapore, though I would be less sure that cases will be tracked and confined effectively here. We have huge numbers of travellers from China and the government will not limit that.

Our school (and international schools in general) are doing the same as yours. Also cancelling all gatherings e.g. assemblies, fixtures.

Nothing is closing yet but I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up with more cases than many other countries in the region.

Korea here. Some schools and kindergartens have closed, they randomly closed some department stores the other day because one of the patients had visited there.

People seem to rely more on masks and sanitizer than on washing their hands, which drives me crazy. Lots of stupid little things like hospitals checking everyone's temperature but not changing the cover on the thermometer between patients. A lot of infection control seems to be more for show than taking actual practical steps.

I've just had a baby so not been out at all, but apparently restaurants, shopping centres and so on are dead. Probably the safest time ever to be out since no one else is!

We have 25 or so cases here, I think.

🇭🇰 here.

We're on home schooling until March 2nd, which some are loving and some hating. Local social media full of bun fights between parents and teachers.

I've been asked to work from home until next week, so personally this morning I'm juggling work calls as with an essay on Lady MacBeth's monologue (DC1 at secondary) and the life of a polar bear (DC2 at Primary). To be honest I'm relatively relaxed, but that's because I'm watching a neighbour manage her kids, one taking igsce and one taking IB this spring and realise that for my DC it's just a few weeks out of their whole school life. For the exam kids it's so stressful.

In other news we keep having runs on basic necessities - most recently toilet paper, based on a rumour the factories that make it are switching to making masks. Masks are almost impossible to get but everyone is wearing them irrespective of their effectiveness as people can get very grumpy if you don't wear one.

The government has been crap, but given their crap response to the protests that's not surprising. Seriously it's been a hell of a year - but for all that we love HK, it's our home and we don't plan on leaving.

Middle East here

Schools are taking temperatures and have sent forms home for travel history for all household members and for any visitors you’ve had. I know kids who have been asked to stay at home because a parent had been to China in December (so even before the official outbreak)

HR are not approving leave until you tell them of your travel plans (took 4 days to get leave for a trip home to the UK approved because they wanted proof that was where I was going and not to the Far East, and my flight wasn’t booked yet)

The malls are so quiet. Everywhere is so quiet. No Chinese visitors at all. Fewer visitors of any nationality too.

China here, although I left on 28th January for a planned CNY break and not going back at the moment.
It is compulsory to wear a mask, temp checks everywhere, supermarkets open, schools closed until 2nd March and online learning started today, 14 day quarantine if you move cities/provinces and when you return to China, private health clinics eg raffles, closed, non residents cannot enter your compound, no deliveries to your home, strict rules on reporting fevers and flu like symptoms.
This is Jiangsu province.
Dd and I are going to Uk and dh will work in HK.

I also feel for those students with igcse and IB exams starting in April and May. Dd is year 9 so no stress for her; she is just fed up that all her sport and swimming competitions have been cancelled.

Japan here - just down the coast from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, docked in Yokohama bay in total lock-down.
They have just announced a further 60 cases of Corona on the ship, bringing the total number of cases on board to 130!
I do feel sorry for them - they are confined to their cabins.

there are about 20 cases of infection in other parts of Japan, but its not spreading at all as they have been quarantined for now.

Schools are all open, Tokyo is packed - although there are apparently many fewer Chinese tourists in Kyoto.

It is also regular flu season here and the allergy season is also about to start, so loads of people are wearing masks as per usual.

We're in HK.
Homeschooling online. It's ok.
But having sports cancelled isn't great. It's the sector I work in so at present I have no hours. DH still working so it's not a financial strain. Those I work with have rent and bills to pay. Not sure how they are coping.
Some people have already been made redundant.

Loo roll has sold out thanks to a rumour. We're not wearing masks. Few available anyway.

If school cancellation lasts til summer we'll definitely think of fast forwarding a relocation back to UK!

We get outside at the weekends. Lots of hiking. Our local park is still open, so DS heads down there after he's finished online. School are running a normal timetable albeit online.

For a long time HK has always been thought of as a safe haven for jobs and money with a good lifestyle. That's starting to change for sure.

TBH I can't wait til this is all over. Whenever that may be.

In HK. The panic buying gives me the rage. I am going to need to need toilet roll soon and I don't know where or when I am going to find some.
I am more worried about the people than the virus.

How does online schooling work? Are the teachers online and delivering lessons or setting work remotely?

Setting work remotely and replying online to students’ concerns and issues. About 70% of the school community is currently outside China (teachers and students) and all over the world- US, Australia, Europe and Asia.
Dd has videos to watch, questions to answer, vocabulary to learn and fitness routines from her swim squad. All students were sent a survey today asking them what they had with them eg computer, calculator, iPad, phone etc so am sure teachers will tailor the work accordingly.

Is that just secondary, Shanghai?

I guess it varies HK to China and also by school.
For DS in Secondary, they log on at 8.30 and start a normal timetable, teachers set up the class via Google Hangouts and give out work, the better ones stay on line through out the class to help students. I have to say they've been phenomenal. If you're abroad then you can listen to the recording and do the work in your own timezones but I'd say 80% of DS's class are here in HK and all teachers are here.

For DS in primary bit different in that there are workbooks, and on line activities. No google hangouts or zoom but in fairness once they submit work by Google Classroom its usually back in an hour. Again pretty phenomenal although I find it much more time consuming as a parent because DD is still young enough to need a hand hold. Less kids here in HK, families with younger kids seem to be the ones who've left.

Whether we can cope til March 2nd, lets see but for now its working.

Asia Truly, for the whole school, but not sure how it works in practice with primary students. Dd has to have a MacBook for school and a lot of work is set on one note etc so it’s not a big change for her.
Dd is in year 9.

Also in Singapore. Finding it all a bit tiring really but glad schools are still open.
Have been a bit homesick lately , my mum is due to visit on the 20th. She still says she's coming but I obviously want her to be safe.

Also got the major rage with the panic buying at the weekend

The schools are still open in Singapore? How about in South Korea?

Schools have not been closed. We've been instructed to take the following precautions:
Leave of absence if you've been to China
Quarantine order if you've been in contact with someone with CV
No assemblies
No concerts or events that have an audience
No extra curricular activities with more than a normal class size of kids.
Daily temperature checking and hand washing between lessons.