School with Covid-19

First day of school today for me. I have had lots of questions from friends in the States about how this can happen and thought I would chronicle the day. I must tell you that this level of keeping track is throughout much of society here. Each community may have a breakdown in policy but then it is identified very early and corrected.

To open school meant having precautions in place, complying with cleaning and regulations to follow, an inspection, testing of students and teachers, PD on proper procedures… We are doing this now to see how it works and as a practice run. The plan, if all goes well, to add 9, 10, 11 on May 11th. If there are issues or infections, then we close again (just like businesses). And this is a practice run of how next year might be running. Every school is going to have to start thinking how this will look like for the next year.***Quick aside here: Which brings me to the low numbers China has currently. When there is a case noted, they crack down on it immediately (I can attest to this as that was the reason for my last quarantine.) Talking to my Chinese friends who have been here the whole time is eye opening. When the government tells them what must be done, they do it. When there is, the message from the government it is clear and consistent. They are aware that what they do affects the health of others. Even rural areas blocked roads so that people from neighboring villages were not getting in. Is the system perfect? No. But they are doing a lot better (and so are some other countries) than many other places.***

Entering school.

There are two tents set up to enter. There are lanes to follow. You must have updated your Suikang code. Only blue or green can enter. Red cannot, and CDC will be notified. You pass through a thermal camera and have your temp checked using skin. If you have an elevated temp of 37.3 C (99.1 F), you are isolated and the nurse evaluates (see below). Pacing through this step is such that maintains the 1-2 meter between students. There is only one direction into the school.

Classroom set-up and non-negotiable requirements (while teaching science)

• Windows and doors must be open. No air conditioning.
• Everyone must wear a mask at all times.
• Maintain social distancing of 1 meter apart.
• Students have to sit one per table. One can sit at a lab table but they must be facing forward. Group work is non-existent but they can confer talking across distances to each other. I have to choose experiences that they can do by themselves to share the results.
• Antibacterial gel is available in halls and in rooms.
• Temperature checks are taken on the students and teachers twice a day – once at 8:15 and another right before lunch. They must be stored on a spreadsheet. The teacher takes and records the temp.
• If students have a fever, the nurse is called and the student is placed outside or in an empty room.
• Depending on low risk (student sent home and other students/teacher is reassessed) or high risk (all students and teacher are removed to another room for isolation. CDC is called and they determine the next steps including quarantine).
• There is a dedicated isolation room on campus. No one enters unless it is to be used to isolate someone by the nurse.
• At the start of every new block (we have 4 blocks a day and you see the same students every other day), an ayi (“auntie” in Chinese, meaning maid or housecleaner) comes in to wipe down every desk a student and teacher is at. That means for me, moving my computer and cleaning every surface. My desk has never been so clean!
• There is an investigator on campus checking for compliance.

The good news

It is good to see my students. I still have to plan for students who are not here. I have series of online assignments and also simulations that are already on OneNote and Teams. For the students who are here they are doing the same thing, but I felt we could reinforce a concept from back in February when we were all online and that is the concept of blood pressure. I had them write what they remembered about blood pressure then they conferred with a member of the class while maintaining distance between them. Yes it was noisy. Then they practiced taking blood pressure on themselves. With a stethoscope it is difficult, but some managed to do it. We also have a handful of electronic cuffs which made it easier. We then explored exercise changes and also what happens when you plunge your arm in ice cold water (because your extremity is cold, the arteries constrict to not lose too much heat to the environment. The heart is still pumping the same, but the pipes that carry the blood are narrower and therefore there is more pressure.)

Moving through campus

Arrows direct kids through the entrance to the school and also going into the lunch room. Students were given the directions on wearing a mask, washing hands, maintaining distance, how to walk through the hallways, etc. before coming to school.

Lunch

There is one way in to the cafeteria and another way to exit. (BTW, that is how it is in many places – one door to go in to monitor temperatures and another place to leave to maintain distance.) They are allowed in one at a time to maintain distance and sit one per table. All food is pre-ordered and pre-packaged with utensils so there is no possible cross-contamination.

Leaving campus

Students leave shortly after 3 pm. Teachers leave a half hour later. As we get on the bus we have to check out name on the list to maintain records. We also have to sit with distance between us.

Fun thing to share

The PE department had step challenges and other activities to boost wellness. One was a Padlet used for gratitude.It was great to read them all.I posted a thank you to the HR staff and admin for going above and beyond to help us. So did many others. Everywhere we were stopped or were having trouble, they were available on phone. When I had problem with the Suikang app, they worked hard with government and CDC officials for a solution. Given that they are currently working on on-boarding new faculty for next year which is a considerable process (and dealing with border closings that may change where they come in from!) They also have faculty that are not here right now who are leaving to another country next year but may not make it back to pack everything up! I don’t know how they do it!It was an interesting day. I was happy to see colleagues and students. I was actually very worried about the day but it was just fine and seemed like any other except less kids, more distance, and masks….