Coronavirus news + surgical mask shortage + local school teaches Mandarin: Your AAPI newsletter
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It is Wednesday, Feb. 5, and this is The Sacramento Bee’s AAPI weekly newsletter, brought to you by yours truly.
Here’s a recap on the stories I recently covered and issues I’m following:
As of Sunday, there are 6 cases of coronavirus in California, four of which are concentrated in the Bay Area, but that did not stop locals from being prepared. Some are even trying to help by donating face masks and cash to Hubei province, China, which contains Wuhan and the epicenter of the outbreak. Others think it is better to be safe than sorry, albeit noting no panic in the community so far.
A Sacramento organization last Wednesday announced the postponement of a Lunar New Year celebration scheduled in early February. The announcement came two days after the city of Elk Grove canceled its Lunar New Year celebration that was scheduled for last Friday.
Those looking for surgical masks in Sacramento may have a hard time finding them. At least one supplier in the area is out of stock, while two others saw limited supply in a few branches. The shortage came after the novel coronavirus outbreak first identified in Wuhan, China, arrived in the U.S.
Symptoms of the coronavirus will typically show between two to 14 days, said a expert from the University of California, Davis. Therefore, people who have traveled back from at-risk areas in China before being screened two weeks ago at California’s main checkpoint, San Francisco International Airport, would have already shown symptoms.
While he acknowledged that the situation may change – “but as of (Thursday) in Sacramento, you don’t need a mask,” he said.
For this public charter school in El Dorado Hills, 80 percent of a school day is taught in Mandarin, including mathematics, science and social studies, to eventually prepare students to learn through the language.
“Reading and writing practice is done in a way they have to do it right — in the correct stroke order,” one parent said. “It is truly an immersion program, not just language exposure. If anyone’s considering it, go for it. It’s amazing how fast young minds can pick it up. It has been a blessing to have that opportunity for (my daughter).”
In other news
Flights carrying coronavirus evacuees from Wuhan, China, arrive at Travis Air Force Base near Fairfield. [The Sacramento Bee]
UC system suspends study abroad program in China for winter and spring due to coronavirus, after the Department of State issued a level-three travel advisory warning people to reconsider travel to China [KCRA]
Fear of coronavirus fuels racist sentiment targeting Asians; UC Berkeley’s health services center listing xenophobia toward Asian people as a “normal reaction” [Los Angeles Times]
The U.S. government’s spied on Chinese American scientists, upending lives and paving ways of decades of discrimination [The Intercept]
UC Berkeley Law School drops name of lawyer who pushed for Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 [The Associated Press]
How Kobe Bryant helped connect Asian Americans with both Asia and America [Orange County Register]
A young adult novel chronicles nostalgia of study-abroad program many Taiwanese Americans refer to as “Love Boat” [NBC News]
For things to do in town and beyond, don’t miss the “SF Day of Remembrance” at the Kabuki Sundance Theater on Feb. 16.
Placerville Friends of Tibet is welcoming Tibetian monks to stay from Feb. 14 to Feb. 22, to host teachings, workshops and cultural exchange sessions.
Parkview Presbyterian Church is hosting another Crane Fold-In session on Feb. 22 to support Tsuru for Solidarity’s goal to fold 125,000 for the national rally scheduled in June to express solidarity with children, families and communities under attack.
Have you faced racist or xenophobic reactions due to the coronavirus outbreak? What do you want to read about on Sacramento or California’s AAPI population? Send your thoughts to me at tyu@sacbee.com.
That’s it for this week’s newsletter. Thank you for reading!
Theodora Yu covers Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in California for The Sacramento Bee. She is a member of Report for America’s 2019 corps of journalists.
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