h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've logged off the SARS thread because it was making me feel more and more flippant. However, I feel moved to add some stuff for you that may explain this attitude. So I hope you'll forgive the intrusion, and its length.
My older son was born in Ethiopia in 1971 and the younger in Malawi in 1976. So you're quite right - they're not with me any more.But they stayed with me until they were 13 (through Ethiopia, Malawi, Lesotho,and Cameroon)In 20 years in Africa, I had one bout of amoebic dysentry, one boy had a very serious fever which I think was possibly cholera and the other picked up bilharzia when he was 8 and had to spend several weeks in the London Hospital for Tropical Diseases. Otherwise nothing, even though we were in close contact with things like hepatitis and malaria (a ghastly death)Part luck, and partly that the kitchen and bathroom were always clean, even when the rest of the house wasn't.
So, if masks stop people sneezing or coughing or spitting in my vicinity, then I'm all for them. But how is anyone helped by wearing them to a speaking exam? If you can pick the virus up that quickly, then those of us who use the MTR ought to be dead by now.
To my mind the really serious thing in Hong Kong is the poor hygiene in the public hospitals. In your position, I would have private health insurance for my children (not that hospitals in England would be any better probably. Since the cleaning was put out to private tender, many people have died of what they picked up in public hospitals)I would up the hand washing, of course and get out in the fresh air as much as possible, and otherwise try not to let it run my life.
Two more things - congratulations on finding h2g2 - one of life's pleasures- and keep TEFLing; it's been getting me round the world since 1966. Very best wishes

Thanks for the note. Glad you're ok and not too worried about the Special Administrative Region Superbug. As you know how I feel with kids I'll forgive the flippancy, but with SARS in our estate I felt moved to put the slightly more cautious view. Where are you in HK? I'm in Heng Fa Chuen, on the main island. It'd be nice to be in a position to meet up occasionally. Maybe we can have an HK researchers meeting. Take care and keep in touch.
sbe