LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lexington Chinese School has indefinitely postponed their 25-year anniversary and Chinese New Years celebration amid global concerns about the coronavirus.
While there are no reported cases of the virus in Kentucky, some Lexington Chinese School families visited loved ones in the country in early January before news of the virus spread widely. The school has asked any families that traveled between the countries in the last few weeks to keep an eye on their health.
“Just to be safe for yourself and also the community, stay home for two weeks before you go to public places,” said Min Hu, principal of Lexington Chinese School.
The school returned to classes Saturday morning after canceling lessons the week prior.
“We thought it better to let people stay home,” said Sixia Pulsifer, a teacher for the Lexington Chinese School.
The reasoning surrounding this was to allow families the space to celebrate the Chinese New Year on Jan. 25 and to evaluate their health if they were returning from overseas travel. But the school assures parents there isn’t a health risk at the school.
“There’s no reason for us to be scared because everywhere is still open,” said Hu.
Hu also noted the primary concern local Chinese families are experiencing is regarding their family’s health in Asia, not their own.
Hu admitted attendance was low Saturday morning, but she attributes it to a different culprit.
“Parents are reporting their kids are sick. Their kids have the flu, so it's not really because of this,” she said.
The Lexington Chinese School offers Chinese language lessons for native and non-native speakers every Saturday morning. The school has 15 teachers and approximately 100 students, including children and adults. You can find more information about their courses on their website.
