Helpers & Crowded Places
- Thread starter Neha
- Start date
B
Bumps
Guest
No way! I saw this on the news last night and could not believe it.
brainleacher
Registered User
I don't think it is the right thing to do to ask our helpers to avoid crowded places because of the swine flu. However, I suggested my helper that she takes a mask or two along on Sundays and I also provided her with a little flasks of hand cleaning lotion. And my helper totally agrees, because she has no desire to get sick either and you can be at ease that she will not pass anything on to you/your family.
I think it is right to ask your helper to stay away from crowded places during this swine flu - they have closed another secondary school in Wan Chai now and I think all other secondary schools will close before the end of the academic year.
If your helper goes out and catches this flu and then returns to work you are putting yourself and your children at risk.
A friend of mine has asked her helper not to leave the house as she is affraid her new born baby is at risk.
If your helper goes out and catches this flu and then returns to work you are putting yourself and your children at risk.
A friend of mine has asked her helper not to leave the house as she is affraid her new born baby is at risk.
audlin
Registered User
My personal opinion is that anybody is at risk. Your husband could travel on business and bring it back, or you could be shopping with your baby in Central and pick up the bug.
I think it is out of order to ask your helper to avoid crowded places on her only day off when that is most probably where all her friends gather. Yes, you can arm her with a mask or wipes but you are taking it a step to far to ask her to do anything else.
I have two children under 2 and not concerned. They could catch it off me or just sitting in Starbucks or on the MTR.
I think it is out of order to ask your helper to avoid crowded places on her only day off when that is most probably where all her friends gather. Yes, you can arm her with a mask or wipes but you are taking it a step to far to ask her to do anything else.
I have two children under 2 and not concerned. They could catch it off me or just sitting in Starbucks or on the MTR.
I'm concerned but not quite ready to ask my helper to avoid big crowds. I did think of telling her that if she wanted to hang out with a friend or two at our house she could. I have a 3 month old and two other young children (3 and 2) and am worried as they get sick so easily here.
Our helper is smart and very aware of the situation so hopefully she will minimise the risks without me telling her.
I don't think comparing helper's gatherings on sundays to any other situation in HK (like husband going to work etc) is a logical comparison. My husband certainly doesn't share his food, sit really close to others for long periods of time (if any!) etc. You just have to walk through central on a sunday to realise how perfect a place it is for spreading infection. These poor women are forced to spend their day in small very very crowded public spaces. I'd be surprised if helpers don't turn out to be one of the worst hit by the flu. Not good for them or our children!
Our helper is smart and very aware of the situation so hopefully she will minimise the risks without me telling her.
I don't think comparing helper's gatherings on sundays to any other situation in HK (like husband going to work etc) is a logical comparison. My husband certainly doesn't share his food, sit really close to others for long periods of time (if any!) etc. You just have to walk through central on a sunday to realise how perfect a place it is for spreading infection. These poor women are forced to spend their day in small very very crowded public spaces. I'd be surprised if helpers don't turn out to be one of the worst hit by the flu. Not good for them or our children!
0ze_Kid
Registered User
I don't think I would ask my helper to avoid crowed places either.
As audlin said, DH could bring it (mine works in confined spaces and travels a lot by air, so sorry aussiegal I have to disagree. Yes, it does get crowded but not EVERY helper goes into central, mine, for example used to go hiking and take picnics with a few of her friends and then go night clubbing). As a side, we are currently in Melbourne with 1,000+ (10-fold HK count) cases and we are still going to the zoo, snow and other public places with the kids.
blumenelf - I like your thinking; by having a discussion and providing items I think you have gone about it in a really smart way. I will have to remember this for when we get back.
As audlin said, DH could bring it (mine works in confined spaces and travels a lot by air, so sorry aussiegal I have to disagree. Yes, it does get crowded but not EVERY helper goes into central, mine, for example used to go hiking and take picnics with a few of her friends and then go night clubbing). As a side, we are currently in Melbourne with 1,000+ (10-fold HK count) cases and we are still going to the zoo, snow and other public places with the kids.
blumenelf - I like your thinking; by having a discussion and providing items I think you have gone about it in a really smart way. I will have to remember this for when we get back.
I have asked my helper to avoid going to crowded places with poor ventilation. If she wants to go, just take precautions like wash hands often and wear mask etc. go to the park instead if weather permits. I have explained to her that we (me and my husband) in fact have higher risks of getting the virus because we go out everyday to work so we just have to be more careful. I think it sounds fair enough.
As long as we tell and explain to our DH nicely, don't sound too harsh like an order, show we care about them, I think they will appreciate that.
As long as we tell and explain to our DH nicely, don't sound too harsh like an order, show we care about them, I think they will appreciate that.
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Totally agree, aussiegal. I saw it a couple of times and was horrified by the scene. Like yours, my helper is also pretty smart and is afraid of the bug herself. I had never asked her where to go or not to go, but she has out of her own accord moved to a less crowded place with her best friend...
I personally don't think it's such a big deal in 'asking to avoid crowded places', as long as not 'forbidding to go to crowded places' or 'forcing her not to go etc', which may be seen as trying to restrict one's freedom or freewill...As I've learned, swine flu is causing so much fear not because of its fatality rate, but rather because human beings are not immuned to this bug, and the young ones are particularly at risk...My DD is suffering from a common cold right now and we just came back from the doctor's to get her cleared of the possibility of swine flu. Yes a little paranoid I know, but this is what I do for being a parent---better be safe than sorry. So I'd rather not focus too much on a possibly human right issue. Aren't we all trying to take some measures necessary to prevent from catching this bug? In my household for example, hubby will not touch the kids when coming back from work without first taking a shower and brushing his teeth etc.
Oze Kid, even if your helper doesn't hang out in crowded places she will come into contact with people that do, i.e. other friends. Unless of course she doesn't hang out with friends at all, which is probably not the case since you say she goes clubbing. (another nice spot for her to catch something). Our helper doesn't hang out in crowded places but she goes to church twice a week and that is ample time and opportunity to catch something.
I don't think i'm being paranoid, just realistic and pls note I haven't asked my helper to change her life at all at this point. I have simply stated my concern.
As for continuing to be out and about in Vic, I applaud your for living your life but maybe it also explains why there is such a big problem over there. People have clearly failed to adjust their lives in any way to try and keep the flu under control.
I don't think i'm being paranoid, just realistic and pls note I haven't asked my helper to change her life at all at this point. I have simply stated my concern.
As for continuing to be out and about in Vic, I applaud your for living your life but maybe it also explains why there is such a big problem over there. People have clearly failed to adjust their lives in any way to try and keep the flu under control.
I agree with this. It's about everyone doing their bit, acting responsibly to stop the spread of the bug. This means adjusting our lives temporarily. It's not a big deal but it might mean the difference between everyone getting sick to only a small number of people.
I forgot to mention that one of my hubby's collegues got infected by this swine flu last Friday out of the blue, hence hubby is taking the pre-cautions very seriously.
So once again it's not about who should go where, it's about everyone in the same household(of course helpers included) taking some responsible measures and trying to minimise the possibility of catching the bug...
So once again it's not about who should go where, it's about everyone in the same household(of course helpers included) taking some responsible measures and trying to minimise the possibility of catching the bug...
So why then wouldn't Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, all of NZ etc also have a high number of cases. The spread of such illnesses has a lot to do with how things are handled, how quickly people act etc.
For the record, Australia's flu season hasn't even begun yet.
HK2008, your husband works at Macquarie by any chance? Hee hee, cos my husband went thru the same drill, shower etc, when he found out on friday about his colleague confirmed case. He even refrained from kissing or hugging the kids that night, cos being friday, he was very tired and thought he may be coming down with flu.
Anyway, I provided my helper with disinfectant gel and facemasks when she went out on Sunday. I assumed she was responsible enough not to do anything stupid like share eating utensils etc, so never asked her, nor asked her to stay away from crowded places. But I think it's perfectly ok to ask nicely, it's just voicing your concern, it's not forcing her to do anything.
It's not asking helpers not to go out, but merely to try to avoid crowds. I see absolutely nothing wrong with it, as I am also trying to do the same thing, not to mention what the government is asking so as not to make the virus spread so quickly.
Anyway, I provided my helper with disinfectant gel and facemasks when she went out on Sunday. I assumed she was responsible enough not to do anything stupid like share eating utensils etc, so never asked her, nor asked her to stay away from crowded places. But I think it's perfectly ok to ask nicely, it's just voicing your concern, it's not forcing her to do anything.
It's not asking helpers not to go out, but merely to try to avoid crowds. I see absolutely nothing wrong with it, as I am also trying to do the same thing, not to mention what the government is asking so as not to make the virus spread so quickly.
Shenzhennifer
Registered User
I don`t think it`s very nice to ask your DH to avoid crowded places on their time off. You don`t own them and it`s their free time anyway. I think they would have the common sense to take precautions, as it`s their health as well.
I just wonder where everyone is living. Because when I walk outside at any given time there are scores of people everywhere. Everyday is a Sunday shopping day around here.
I just wonder where everyone is living. Because when I walk outside at any given time there are scores of people everywhere. Everyday is a Sunday shopping day around here.
I don't think anyone has actually asked their helper to avoid crowded places but rather to act responsibly. For what it's worth my husband's company has certainly told them what they can and can't do and I don't see why it should be any different for helpers who after all are our employees. At the end of the day if he goes to work and affects people because he put himself at risk somewhere then it's not right. Companies have formal plans in place for dealing with such crises, maybe there should be one in place for helpers?
0ze_Kid
Registered User
Melbourne has not handled it very well from what I can see. It has not had the SARS outbreak of a few years ago and people have the attitude that it will not happen to them. It spread so quickly in Melbourne (from the media reports I have read) because of a cruise ship which had an infestation and unleashed its passengers on Melbourne. Who, of course spread to the wings! We also had parents who had been to the US/Mexico and Canada with children that were then sent to school (one would assume with colds, not making the connection).
The recent bushfires are an excellent example of the lack of communication the government has with its community when it comes to things like this. They leave it in the hands of the media - who decide what part of the story will make them money and what will not.
The recent bushfires are an excellent example of the lack of communication the government has with its community when it comes to things like this. They leave it in the hands of the media - who decide what part of the story will make them money and what will not.