Published by James at 14:22 HKT Apr 30, 2003
in Health.
Not inferior by any means.
So often, people and the authorities are wondering why so many medical staffs caught the SARS virus. We are repeatedly reminded to treat our used medical masks properly as though the virus is already on them, and be careful with what we touch as though the virus is already on any surface.
The problem could be here, shown in the photo. Medical staffs are so tired from doing their fine job diligently. They try to take short rests whenever and where ever they could afford to. The problem is, if the virus were in fact on her medical mask or on the sofa already, she could have inadvertently contacted the virus on her unprotected eyes or other unprotected places on her body and in turn, her respiratory system during her nap.
We may or may not have enough medical staff to do so, but if we did, I suggest at least a strict three 8 hour shift day, or even more shifts in shorter periods, to allow the medical staffs to have ample properly “cleaned” rest. “Slave driving” may have been the norm before, but we need our precious medical staffs in tip top shape now more than ever.
To all medical staffs around the world,
Keep up the good work and take care.
“Please state the nature of the medical emergency.”
In surfing the net I have stumbled upon this script within this website.
Although it vaguely resembles one, I can’t remember for sure if the script was an actual episode, and I am too tired to double check this time of ‘night. At any rate, it was a good read.
Published by James at 22:56 HKT Apr 29, 2003
in Family.
In order to make use of this seemingly endless closure of primary schools due to the attack of the SARS virus, I have just asked Alec to write me a report every 7-10 days. Within each of these periods, Alec is supposed to read the news from the paper, the Internet and on TV, or watch the Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, or any kind of science or history or whatever programs on TV or the Internet. He is supposed to select any topic of interest, do the research on the selected topic, and write a simple 50 word or more report in either Chinese or English.
I deliberately make these reports shorter than his usual 100 word homework reports from school in order to keep it simple enough for him to keep his interest in these exercises.
I am hoping this kind of exercises will improve his comprehension, his composition, his interest in any kind of knowledge, and his attention span.
Published by James at 19:59 HKT Apr 28, 2003
in Health.
This afternoon, a local radio DJ commented on how wrong local citizens are when they grossly over exaggerate the infectious power of the SARS virus. He mentioned that the infectious power of SARS is nothing as powerful as some other virus like the Smallpox virus, in which, the Smallpox virus was so infectious that just one carrier walking in to an enclosed shopping mall could infect a thousand shoppers within the mall.
Guess what…
It ain’t so.
A more definitive report on the possiblity of the SARS virus is of multiple strains.
A glim of hope…
“…it would be to the virus’ advantage to be easily spread but not very deadly. That way an infected person would have more time to infect others, keeping the virus alive. …”
Just last Friday afternoon during a chat on the phone with a good friend “Curry”, he mentioned that he did drive to work only for the first few days after the SARS virus had started spreading in the community, but he no longer drive to work as he began to think that the SARS virus seems not to be all that contagious. He even thought that surgical masks weren’t all that necessary even in a crowded bus or MTR cart if no one coughed. When I asked him how he could be sure that no one would cough during the entire ride, he replied that the mask is only useful in preventing yourself from spreading the virus to others but not in protecting yourself from getting it.
True. Which is exactly more of a reason why I think absolutely everyone should wear a surgical mask.
That very evening, he called me as soon as he got home and sounded all depressed… He said he had won the lotto. He had just found out that his building where he lives in was now listed, for some resident from that building had caught the SARS virus. He was amazed that with such an odd that only some 10-15 buildings out of so many in the region are listed each day, his building would happen to be one.
Yet, he is already the second friend of mine who has had the home building listed.
Yeah, that’s right. This is one lottery that you may not want to win, so stay on guard people! This epidemics is far from over.
Published by James at 23:36 HKT Apr 24, 2003
in Sports.
Last Sunday at Imola, San Marino, Juan-Pablo Montoya pitted 4 times. Apparantly the refueling rig failed to refill his car not once, but twice during that race.
JPM finished 7th at that race 45.271 seconds behind the winner M. Schumacher.
Schools are re-opening for Form 1 and 2 students this coming Monday the 28th; however, primary schools and kindergartens are to stay closed until further notice.
Published by James at 23:06 HKT Apr 24, 2003
in News.
The Government of the HKSAR has announced today it will extend the home confining order to family members of suspected SARS patients. This is, IMO, the first and true measure that stays ahead of the virus spreading through out the region.
Alec had been learning Table Tennis at school once a week for a couple of months before the school closure period. Last week, after lunch at a local recreation club, mom asked Alec if he wanted to have a game. They played a little bit and mom thought Alec played pretty good. The resident coach there just happened to have an hour open, so mom decided to hire the coach for the hour for Alec.
He managed to hit the ball over ten times from the coach, which I thought was not bad considering he hadn’t been too serious in the sport although he likes it.
I decided to let him have regular lessons at the club and bought him his first blade.
We’ll see how it goes for him.
WhaUSay?!