Tag: flu

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TOUGHING IT OUT ISN’T NOBLE

There’s a lot of sickness going around these days.  Hospitals are at capacity, and it seems like half the people we know are not feeling well.  Nevertheless, a lot of them keep carrying on.  Going to work, shopping, attending social events—which only prolongs their illness.    For some reason, many people consider it a badge of honor to keep going when they’re sick.  However,  if you catch whatever it is they have, you will not agree.  Toughing it out isn’t always noble.

Toughing it out isn't noble. You shouldn't work when you're sick, and contaminate others.
TOUGHING IT OUT ISN’T NOBLE. You will contaminate others if you come to work sick.

Decades ago, I worked for a hospital that had a very generous sick pay policy.  So generous that they paid you at the end of the year for whatever sick days you hadn’t taken.  Consequently, many of the lower paid employees in dietary, housekeeping and laundry came to work sick.  Because they needed that end of year pay out to catch up on their bills.  Eventually, someone in human resources realized the folly of that policy, and stopped the  non used  sick pay bonus..  Which made all the healthy people feel like they were being penalized for taking better care of themselves.  From an employer standpoint, it was a no win situation.  Damned if they did, or didn’t .

Last month, the rail workers union was prepared to go on strike because they don’t get paid for sick days.  I can’t say I blame them, and I find it appalling that any company would want someone with the flu or covid to come in and spread their sickness around to all their co-workers.

Aside from the sick pay issue, there is also the problem of people going out to parties and other social occasions when they’re coughing and sneezing in someone’s face.  Why do they do it?  Are they afraid their hosts will be offended if they don’t attend a  birthday party?  Or is their social life more important then their own health and the wellness of others who come down sick after being near them?  Maybe they’re afraid their relatives  will be offended if they don’t show up for Christmas Dinner or some other family event.  If that’s the case, there’s something wrong with anyone who would wants a sick person sitting next to them or  across the table.  I think most hostesses would prefer you stay at home.

For heaven’s sake, stay home when’s you’re sick.  Rest is the only way to get well, and keep yOu from contaminating others.  Toughing it out isn’t always noble or heroic.

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COMMON COLD MAKES A COMEBACK

Every since the Covid-19 pandemic began,  I didn’t have a single cold or bout with the flu.   Thanks to all the masking, social isolation, and hand sanitizer, my body was shielded from those nasty cold viruses for a year and a half.  In fact, the last cold I experienced  was in February of 2020—right before we found out we were facing a pandemic.  It was a really bad cold that went on for a month (might have even been the virus).  But then the world got turned upside down, and I forgot what it was like to be sick.   Now, the common cold makes a comeback.

Common cold makes a comeback and it is scaring people who think it might be Covid.
Common cold makes a comeback.. Now that people are taking fewer precautions, they’re getting colds more often.

In case you’ve forgotten, a cold creeps up on you gradually. You’re unusually  tired for a couple of days.  Then you feel a sneeze coming on. Next day, you’re feeling achy and just plain awful. It’s scary.   Are you coming down with the virus?  No temperature yet, or other symptoms like a cough, fever, diarrhea, etc. However, you make up your mind if it gets any worse, you’ll get tested.  Lose a good night’s sleep with worry..   And then, you wake up,  sit out in the sun, (yes it’s back to 80 degrees) and start feeling better.  And that’s when realize you just had a  plain, ordinary cold.  On top of allergic rhinitis, maybe., because this is ragweed season.  It all feels the same.

They say a change in weather makes you more susceptible to sinus problems.  Last week, the weather went from 90 degrees, to an overnight 46.  Cold rain thrown in to the mix. Being a fresh air nut, I’d left the windows open.  Apparently,  abrupt changes in temperature  lower the immune system. It didn’t help the next day when I went grocery shopping during a cold, windy downpour.  Only half the people at the supermarket were wearing masks.  No one was social distancing in the long lines at the checkout.

Our defenses have gone down this past month, even though Covid cases have increased. People have stopped using hand sanitizer and started going to restaurants and shops.  Most have quit wearing masks. The weather is often cold and rainy.  And even though we’ve been vaccinated, we’re being exposed to  germs that cause the common cold and the flu.  The scary return of the common cold is a reality.  Be careful. Mask up. Use hand sanitizer. Don’t catch a cold if you can help it. .