As we begin a new year of school, we realize that a lot has changed over the course of a few months. Gone are the days of logging onto zoom and waiting for class to begin. But although we may be starting to become normal again, what about the rest of the world? This is a question I hope to be answering in the next few paragraphs as I take a look at covid around the world.
The first place that came to mind was Switzerland. I had lived there for quite some time and I still remember the reactions to COVID. It was mostly the same as in other countries, with schools being shut down, jobs being moved online and lockdown being implemented on all citizens. But after a few months schools were reopened with protocols that may sound familiar to those reading. The usage of masks was mandatory and sanitization was required at all times. Eating was also changed, with new seating arrangements being implemented and special queues being made for collecting food.
The next place that came to mind was Africa, more specifically a country named Djibouti. If you’re wondering why, it’s because It is widely believed that Africa can be considered a developing continent with many of its countries being in development so I wanted to make a comparison to see how this may have affected their reaction to COVID. And overall it looks very similar to the rest. Although the stigma may lead you to believe that they may not have been well prepared for covid, it’s really not the case. They were able to transition seamlessly into blended learning, and were able to balance both online and in-school classes in a really good way. I myself was surprised at how well they did it. Their protocols were mostly the same with sanitation being reinforced and the usage of masks being mandatory at all times. Their lunch differed though, with packed lunches brought from home being the choice given to students (as the school was unable to prepare lunches as a cause of COVID).
And lastly, the final place I wanted to take a look at was Brazil. I believe that most readers are familiar already with the protocols in use here at EAC but if not I have compiled a somewhat full list of the changes in the school: hygiene (masks and alcohol), sanitation, pedals for the drinking fountains to avoid direct contact to surfaces, the schedule has changed for less agglomeration, signs for safety procedures and to avoid crowds, face shields and special masks for teachers, covid testing made mandatory for any contact with asymptomatic students and special tents have been set up for eating. I was also able to get an opinion on the whole ordeal, with Wagner Matos (health and safety coordinator of EAC) stating “With the government giving us (schools) more freedom, we are able to operate in a more efficient way that allows us to open the school at full capacity.” He also stated that “Blended learning can be efficient when done right because it can help in decreasing risks and stigma surrounding covid, and it helps keep school on track.”
As you can see, although the cultures may differ, it seems that COVID is mostly the same no matter where it is. I hope that you can take away something meaningful from this text, maybe appreciation or gratitude that you are able to come back to school. Or maybe you learned something you didn’t know. But if you just enjoyed the text, thanks for reading and have a good day.
EAC PRESS 