The Flu War

I am in the middle of a battleground at school; the Japanese have declared war against the flu and they take it VERY SERIOUSLY. Every morning the vice principal makes an announcement of how many students are down with the infruenza and gives advice about staying healthy. The flu (or in Japanese: infruenza) is spreading like wildfire here about 16 now and counting. There is a chart hung up in the teacher's lounge that lists every student that has the flu, and it is updated as soon as the terrible news is received. During every break, the teachers huddle around the stove (yes stove there is no indoor heating here) and talk about infruenza this and infruenza that and if you happen to cough at that moment, watch out. Lots of well-intentioned advice and offers of a mask will come to you unbidden. The entire 7th grade class of about 120 was let off today because too many of them had the infruenza. At lunch today, the teachers regrouped and talked about what their plan of attack was for the next few days of battle (ie what they will do to educate the students, letting 7th graders off for one more day, etc). Everyday people ask each other if they're sick and at even the slightest temperature, students are sent home. Everyone and their mom is wearing masks at my schools... and I feel pressure to wear one too. I just, I don't see how a mask is going to stop me from getting the flu and I just can't wear it. If I pretend I'm in a hospital with a serious disease, maybe I could justify it to myself AT SCHOOL. However, I am valuable because if my ability to speak; if my words are muffled by a mask, where is my value? I speak for a living right now and I don't see how I could be of any value if I am muffled. And there is no way I would wear that thing outside of school, I would feel like I had the bird flu or something...not to mention I would have to take it off to speak.
Anyhow I find this whole thing completely entertaining, albeit totally blown out of proportion and although I refuse to wear a mask, I still hope we win the battle! There are SO MANY other things that could be done to stop them from getting the flu; like maybe getting stoves (at least) or getting in the 21st century *central heating anyone* (yeah right) or maybe even (dare I say it) insulation for the kids, who currently have NO heating. No WONDER they're all getting the flu, how this is a surprise is beyond me. Prevention is over half the battle but right now we're just counting the fallen, putting up a paper shield and hoping for the best. Lack of a comfortable environment is meant to build character though, so we will fight on in our self-made battle! In fact, maybe they shouldn't be allowed to wear coats in class like some schools, so that they build even more character. Ganbarimasu!