No region of Japan has been hit harder by the outbreak of COVID-19 than Hokkaido. So far, the government has confirmed 98 cases on the northern island, while some experts speculate the actual number could be much higher. As of yet, it¡¯s the only part of the country to declare a state of emergency, with officials urging locals to stay at home if possible.
There are a lot of non-Japanese English teachers living in Hokkaido, whether they¡¯re assistant language teachers (ALTs) who are a part of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, private dispatch companies or English-language conversation schools. I spoke with five ALTs across the prefecture about their lives in the time of coronavirus, both professionally and personally. Of the teachers I spoke to, four asked for anonymity as they weren¡¯t cleared by their supervisors to speak to the media. They will be referred to using first-name pseudonyms.
¡®I¡¯d say the virus wasn¡¯t really a concern until late January and early February in the time leading up to the Sapporo Snow Festival,¡± says ¡°Alex.¡± ¡°There was some speculation between the low snowfall and the coronavirus that it¡¯d be canceled.¡±
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