Page 6 - ELG2003 Mar Issue 469

El•Gazette 469.qxp_El•Gazette 469 25/02/2020 21:49 Page 6

NEWS .

Teachers trapped in Wuhan as evacuation ends

by Matt Salusbury

As we go to press, the first foreign
teachers flown home from Wuhan B.ZHOU / SHUTTERSTOCK
are leaving quarantine and
Western governments have
announced the end of evacuation
flights from the epicentre of the
coronavirus outbreak, bringing to
a close what is believed to be the
biggest-ever evacuation of
expatriate English speaking
teachers in peacetime.
Some 1,000 native English
speakers are estimated to have
been teaching in the Chinese city
when the epidemic began. Many
have been unable to leave, others Travellers wear masks to prevent infection
have chosen to stay.
Around 800 Americans had thousand miles from the mainland their rare trips outdoors during Peruvian wife and infant son, after
been flown out by February 10, – at their own expense. their “lockdown” in Wuhan. His consular officials told him they
one has since tested positive for At the time of the first flight, footage showed deserted streets couldn’t join him on the first
coronavirus. A 60-year-old US Australian English teacher Tim except for pharmacies, which had evacuation flight
citizen who remained in Wuhan McLean was “trapped” in the city queues going out of the door. Others have found themselves
has died from the disease. of Ezhou in Hubei Province with The second and final UK flight trapped. Michael Mireku remains
US Teacher Doug Perez his Chinese partner. With no has now landed, carrying around stranded in Beijing as his wife and
expressed frustration at the short functioning public transport, he 200 people. All the evacuees have son’s passports were being
notice given of flights evacuating was unable to travel to the now been quarantined at Arrowe renewed at the UK embassy,
around 200 US nationals to provincial capital of Wuhan for Park Hospital in Wirral, which reportedly wasn’t
March Air Reserve Base, the evacuation. northwest England. answering his calls.
California, in February – When the UK chartered the One of several unnamed English Concerns also remain about
apparently after US consular staff first plane to evacuate its teachers at Arrowe Park told the South African nationals. In late
had themselves already left. nationals at the beginning of Guardian newspaper their airport January, 23-year-old South
Perez chose to remain with his February, British-Canadian bus almost didn’t make it through African teacher Jessika Baling,
Chinese-national wife and his teacher Tom Williams was still a People’s Liberation Army told the Mirror Online she was
dog. He told NBC News many awaiting confirmation on whether roadblock. TES reported that at “trapped” in her apartment, too
colleagues had stayed because, his Canadian wife and son could least one British international afraid to go out. Other South
“we can’t leave our loved ones.” join the flight. school teacher at Arrowe Park is Africans are still reported to be
By the beginning of the second The first UK flight carried 83 expected to teach online to calling for their government to
week in February, 500 Australians British nationals. Three Irish Chinese students from midnight to evacuate them. However, on 29
and New Zealanders had been nationals were also onboard, 8am Greenwich Mean Time. January health minister Zweli
evacuated. Australians arriving including psychology teacher Ben Other British teachers chose to Mkhize told the South African
from Wuhan are quarantined on Kavanagh, one of several expat remain. Steffan Atherton stayed press no such evacuation was
remote Christmas Island, a teachers who posted videos of at his school in Fuzhou with his deemed necessary.

newsinbrief. from Gazette news editor Matt Salusbury
UK: In January, the UKRAINE: Ukraine’s HONG KONG/ INDIA: India is USA: A bill before SPAIN: British EFL
government only English- CHINA: School “likely” to develop Arizona state teacher Audrey Mash
succeeded in language TV station students identified its own Toefl-style legislature seeks to suffered a cardiac
defeating an ceased broadcasting as participating in test of English, end the longstanding arrest after being
amendment to the EU suddenly in January. the recent according Dr Vinay ban on dual-language caught in a snow
Withdrawal Bill that UATV was born in democracy protests Sahashrabuddhe, (English and Spanish) storm while hiking in
would have required 2014, during the ‘info in Hong Kong will president of the instruction. The bill, the Catalan Pyrenees.
the UK to negotiate wars’ with Russia that be refused Indian Council for HCR 2001, would Doctors were able to
“continuing full followed the Russian admission to Cultural Relations. allow “a pretty revive her after six
membership” of the annexation of the universities on The planned test of significant array of hours without a
EU’s Erasmus+ Ukrainian region of mainland China. English for university instructional heartbeat because
educational exchanges Crimea. UATV will Many of the entry is part of an techniques that could her body temperature
programme, after now concentrate protesters who were initiative to boost the benefit both English had dropped to
Brexit. Prime Minister resources instead on under 18 were number of speakers and non- almost 20 degrees C
Johnson said the Russian-language TV arrested by Hong international English speakers below normal,
government remained aimed at the Kong police, had students coming to alike,” according to preserving her brain.
committed to “temporarily their details taken the country – Chris Kotterman of Her survival after six
negotiating a deal on occupied territories and were sent currently estimated the Arizona School hours is believed to
Erasmus. of Ukraine.” home. at 50,000 a year. Boards Association. be the longest ever.

6 March 2020