Parents angry as COVID-19 shuts schools for a month

Japan and Hong Kong have closed their elementary, junior-high and high school until April. Governments say they want to protect children from the COVID-19 coronavirus. Schools in Japan will remain closed until April the 8th, which is the start of the new school year. Children in Hong Kong will return to school on April the 20th at the earliest. Parents are now worried about the school closures. Working parents have to think about how to care for younger children. Grandparents will look after many children while their parents go to work. However, many children have no grandparents or extended family who live nearby. Parents may have to pay for expensive childcare fees.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shut the country's schools after a meeting of Japan's anti-virus task force. He said the next two weeks are critical to control the spread of COVID-19. He wants to "stem the risk of many children and teachers becoming infected through gathering for long hours every day". The government said it would urge public services and private companies to make it easier for people to take time off work to look after their children at home alone for long hours." She asked: "What's the point of closing schools if parents are still commuting in packed trains in which passengers may have COVID-19?"

remain ﾘメｲﾝ v)【存在し続ける】...のままでいる
extend ｴｸｽテﾝﾄﾞ v)【一方向に引き伸ばす】引き伸ばす
extended ｴｸｽテﾝﾃﾞｨｯﾄﾞ adj)伸びた
extended family 拡大家族(親戚を含めた家族)
shut ｼｬアｯﾄｩ v)閉じる、閉める shut-shut-shut
anti- (接頭語)反、対、非、...でない
task ﾀアｽｸ n)＜一定期間にやる＞仕事、学業、職務
force フォｧ-ｽ n)＜物理的な･自然な＞力・武力、戦力
task force 特定の任務を果たす為に一時的に編成される部隊
critical ｸリﾃｨｶﾙ adj)決定的な、重大な、危険な
stem ｼｭテﾑ v)食い止める、スキーをシュテムする
gathering ギャｻﾞﾘﾝｸﾞ n)集まること
urge アｧｰｼﾞ v)【強く促す】駆り立てる、せきたてる、強く迫る

quarantine ｸオ(ワ)-ﾗﾝﾃｨｰﾝ v)隔離する n)隔離
self-quarantine v)自主隔離する、自宅に引きこもる n)自主隔離
Students A strongly believe we should all self-quarantine for two weeks.
Students B strongly believe this is too much.

hygiene ハｧｲ ｼﾞｰﾝ n)衛生(状態)、きれいさ、衛生習慣
food hygiene/personal hygiene/public hygiene
good hygiene/improving hygiene
The restaurant was in breach of food hygiene regulations.
Many skin diseases can be prevented by good personal hygiene.
In the interests of hygiene, please wash your hands.
Poor dental hygiene can contribute to tooth decay.
breach
disease
prevent
interest
dental デﾝﾀﾙ adj)歯の、歯科の
contribute ｺﾝ トﾘﾋﾞｭｰﾄ v) contribute to   ...(の一因)となる
decay ﾃﾞｨケｨ n)腐敗、虫歯　v)徐々に腐敗する、虫歯になる





How dangerous could these things be?
What can we avoid COVID-19 with these things?
hand-washing
wearing a mask
avoid people
don't touch things
alcohol spray
don't touch your face
listen to WHO advice

March 3. 2020