artwork by Genevieve Conti
At my University in Missouri, we have had over 100 hand sanitizer dispensers installed all over campus. Teachers who have a zero absence tolerance are required to insist that sick students do not attend class. As usual, we don't want to end up like the University of Kansas, who has half the student population ill with the swine flu.
Following the pandemic over to France, some schools are canceled and some students wear masks. But the most surprising of all is that schools are banning the traditional greeting of bisous, or kisses to both cheeks, in order to prevent sickness.
A typical saying in France, "Désolé, je suis malade" or "Sorry, I'm sick", is used to pardon oneself from kissing someone that you do not want to get physically close to. Now the saying will have to be "Désolé, vous pourriez être malade" or "Sorry, you might be sick".
Some are concerned that this ban could cause the death of bisous in France. By asking the younger generations to greet others from a distance, they might continue to do so as a trend.
Other places, like Germany and Spain are also asking people to greet others from afar and posting flyers to spread the word.
What are you doing to avoid the virus?
Though alcohol-based hand sanitizer is touted as a solution, one state fire marshal has declared it too dangerous for non-health care facilities and the University of Michigan has chosen to use alcohol-free hand sanitizer dispensers on campus, according to this post.
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