COVID has so far knocked down (not killed) a couple of my students in a way that a cold does not (brain fog, exhaustion, inability to plan).
We are all adults here and are able to survey the terrain and make some choices. I’ve made mine, and no doubt you have made yours too. So more common ground. 
Guy
You seem like an unlikely Guy to be around.
Perhaps, but not likely.
Guy
“Long Covid” is a thing, but it’s pretty unusual these days. Have your students been vaccinated? Do they wear masks all the time? Both of these (entirely pointless) interventions have been associated with these particular issues, and the mechanisms have been elucidated in both cases. Those symptoms are also associated with depression. I’m not suggesting that any of these things are the root cause of your specific obervations, but not everything is caused by Covid. We’ve been assaulted by so many things that are likely to cause us harm that you might at least want to consider other possibilities.
I like how Kurzgesagt videos can explain things in a simple manner, so that even small kids can understand.
For each video they collaborate with scientist in that field and publish their sources.
Sources - What doesn't kill you makes you weaker.
Good grief.
I’m reminded here of the principle that the most effective form of propaganda is to take a selection of truths, explain it “so that even small kids can understand”, and insert whatever payload of lies you want accepted into the truth encapsulation. The lies thereby slide unnoticed into the recipient’s brain. Did you spot them? There were a lot, some subtle, some not so.
Propaganda is a mind virus, and that video is a classic of the genre. Personally I’d use that in a General Studies classroom to explain to the kids how manipulation is carried out. It might one day save them from a groomer or some other adult wishing to do them harm.
I have two or so students per class who are suffering depression and/or anxiety. Medically supported. This has occurred in the past three years
Oh yeah, I meant “unlucky” of course. Oops. I’d just woken up, and I’d been thinking about writing something about that seeming “unlikely” beforehand. 
Vouchers are back! 
From May 24, local governments across Taiwan will also be offering NT$500 (US$16.26) vouchers for hygiene products for seniors aged 65 and above who receive a COVID-19 vaccine shot.
I really don’t get it. I thought senior citizens would be breaking the door down to get them in Taiwan.
A medicine so safe and effective you have to bribe people to take it.
This is, incidentally, unethical and unlawful. Paying people to accept a potentially life-changing medical procedure violates informed consent. There was a particularly egregious example not so long ago in Pakistan, IIRC, where they were offering crappy radios to anyone who agreed to a sterilisation procedure. Not directly comparable - I think in that instance it resulted in a lot of people losing their jobs - but it’s still unethical.
Doesn’t look like there’s much faith in Taiwan’s inclusivity on this forum!
Since last week I’ve been getting daily school emails of cases of students in my class who are out with covid. At least a couple three a day. Just got a text this morning from another one. Two students out in one class yesterday.
I seem to recall the over 70s have the lowest take-up rate.
It’s odd that people are still getting tested.
Health authorities discovered a young child who has contracted COVID-19 five times since the pandemic began. Her repeated infections prevent her from getting vaccinated.
In terms of specific developments: rules about entering pharmacies and physical therapy centers will be adjusted starting later this week on August 15.
At the same time, according to this report:
Mask mandates will remain in place, however, for hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and nursing homes, as they often cater to older people or people with poor immune systems, CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-huai (曾淑慧) said at a press briefing.
Guy
I haven’t worn a mask in pharmacies for months now tbh, and I definitely wasn’t the only customer not wearing one. I wasn’t sure whether it was still required actually. Didn’t much care either. 
Mask mandates will remain in place, however, for hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and nursing homes, as they often cater to older people or people with poor immune systems, CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-huai (曾淑慧) said at a press briefing.
The rules requiring the wearing of masks in those settings will be evaluated again in the future, Tseng said.
What on earth is the point of just relaxing it for pharmacies and physical therapy centers, and why after months of no changes do they need to announce it on Monday to take effect the following day? Are they reacting to some new science that suddenly came in pertaining to mask use, but only in pharmacies and physical therapy centers? 