Within just about a week’s time, China has pivoted from the infamous “Zero COVID” policy to something akin to “We’ll be the greatest in the world at living with the virus.” (credit: Remo)

“Embrace the Virus!” —-new bumper sticker

(credit: Andrew D.)

Folks at school at dropping like flies. As of yesterday afternoon, at least 3 teachers, 1 administrator, and 6 students infected. By evening, a couple of more students rated positive for COVID. Then an entire cohort of 8th graders in Residence Hall were sent home.

In the course of today’s school day, another couple of students tested positive, and another cohort of 8th graders were told to stay home (not sure if they had come to school first or not).

Every IG-1 (9th grader) is home. And today 9 more teachers who are close contacts were either sent home or told not to return for the next five days.

Just 10 days ago, even a handful of such infections would have caused a variety of lockdowns to occur within a several miles radius of our school.

Now? Life moves on.

As at least some international schools have gone completely online—in part to protect staff and students who will be traveling abroad in a couple of weeks—the government refuses to allow other schools to go online.

Even with our staff increasingly depleted, we will “collapse” classes tomorrow. For example, I will probably teach all of the 8th graders who dare to still come to school, as we call in the others at home.

Hybrid learning made famous in so many other countries. But we’ve been in our bubble here. No masks necessary—until this week.

Now our bubble has burst, and COVID is rushing in.