Being Sick in Thailand

I've noticed several differences in how germs and illness are viewed here, and now that I am a bit sick myself I figured it was a good time to discuss them. 

My first clue that things are different is that our school employs two full time nurses for our student body of ~850.  This means that when you send a child "to the nurse/clinic" they actually go to a clinic and see a nurse, not the office and see a secretary.  In the US, I think our entire district had one nurse who only dealt with major health concerns. 

Second, now that school is in full swing and kids are sick, I get daily emails from the secondary school nurse which track flu and other illnesses and symptoms.  Each day I find out who has gone home sick and what they have.  The kids are required to check in with her upon their return, and I am then informed of that as well. 

Our classroom windows are now going to be kept open every Saturday to air out the rooms.  A handful of kids have been sick, 2-3 per day out of 400-450 or so.  Some with flu-like symptoms.   There a antibacterial gel dispensers spread throughout the school. Sometimes I look at them and wonder if anyone uses them or if they are just leftover from that whole swine flu mess a few years back.

The other thing that I have a little chuckle at is the masks that people wear when they are sick.  People wear them fairly regularly here to protect themselves against pollution- for example bus drivers or moto-taxi drivers or others in or near traffic.  But people also wear them quite commonly when they are sick.  While I applaud Thailand's recognition of germ transmission and their efforts to keep everyone healthy, don't expect me to start wearing a mask anytime soon.  I've been running a low fever since Sunday morning and I'm hot and stuffy enough without covering my nose and mouth and inhibiting my ability to breathe.  Looking ridiculous has nothing to do with it, of course, since no one would look twice if they saw me walking down the street in one.  I am sure there are those who would prefer that I wear a mask in an attempt to keep them from catching whatever fever/exhaustion/sore throat I have, but most of my sick students have worn one and look where it got me. My feverish friends didn't wear them, but you know, whatever. 

Meanwhile, I am going to drink some more OJ and retire early to my bed.  I feel somewhat confidant that if the nurse at school saw me she'd try to get me to stay home, but at this point in the year I'd have to be a whole lot worse off to hand over my still-not-quite-trained students to a sub.  The work I'd have to put into those sub plans would keep me up all night.