The recent outbreak of the coronavirus has now affected 28 countries around the world and has infected over 40,000 people globally. The virus is believed to have emerged in December last year and had been traced back to a market in Wuhan that was known for selling wild animals.
Many families are disappointed that schools in affected areas are closing until the government gives further notice. Some schools have already adopted an “E-Learning” system, where students can use their electronic devices to learn from home, and teachers can set tasks and assignments for students to complete, or even hold “live” lessons with available students through video conferences.
“E-Learning is a lot less of a hassle for me,” says Emil D., year 7. “All you have to do is pull out a device, and you can access school from anywhere around the world. It may seem intimidating at first, but all around, it’s a great experience.”
Although this system allows students to be able to learn despite the closure of schools, some feel that the system is confusing to grasp, and isn’t as effective as traditional teaching.
“E-Learning takes you out of the classroom, but it also takes you away from peers and classmates that help you in school,” says Alicia S., year 11.
With travel restrictions securely in place, the plans of many have had to be altered. Many are adopting a “wait-and-see” attitude, waiting for the situation to settle before confirming plans to travel in and out of China.
With the virus affecting over 40,000 people worldwide, measures that are taken to control the spread has increased dramatically. Many precautions have been taken, including some countries banning flights and quarantining nationals returning from China.
In South Korea, all arrivals from China will go to a special quarantine area specifically set up for the country. In Singapore, surgical masks are handed out to every household through a community collection point, where residents can collect their mask at the community center in their neighborhood. And in Guangdong Province, robots have been deployed at a public plaza to scold passersby that are not wearing masks.
With many schools staying closed until further notice, waiting for the virus to pass is a sea of mixed emotions. Some feel frustrated that their plans have had to be altered. Others are happy to be having an extended break. I decided to get opinions from a few of my peers to see what they think. Many of them have had to reschedule or even cancel their flights due to the ongoing epidemic.
“Originally, my family was planning a trip to Zhangjiakou to go ice skating,” said Bryan C. year 7. “But because of the virus, we had to cancel the trip and stay in Beijing.”
Many others have also planned to stay in China, but given the recent surge in cases, have been trapped at home to stay safe from the virus.
“The coronavirus has been really annoying for me. Many of the stores selling food have closed, and it is becoming difficult for me to get food because of the outbreak,” says Akira T., year 8.
When asked about the containment efforts that have been made to slow down the spread of the disease, Gerard S., year 9 said, “I think that the efforts taken to control the virus are logical, and China is doing a decent job fighting the spread from heavily affecting other countries, through shutting down the hard-hit cities to prevent more cases traveling out of Hubei Province.”
Gabriel Low is a year 7 student from Yew Chung International School Beijing (YCIS Beijing). Originally from Singapore, he has lived in Beijing since 2015. He enjoys playing football, watching movies, and listening to music. He is currently contributing to beijingkids as a student correspondent.
Photos: simplilearn.com, Gabriel Low, unsplash
