To share your germs or not?!

Liz46 - same here 😂

Dr Jeff Gilchrist is a Canadian adjunct professor and has written this thread about the effects of Covid on the immune system:

pingthread.com/thread/1605958004163084292

In summary, there is evidence that Covid affects the immune system, making people more susceptible to other infections. Research is ongoing and other researchers are coming up with similar results. This is in addition to the long-lasting effects Covid has on multiple organs. This is also happening in Sweden, where there was no lockdown, so questions the idea of some kind of immunity debt.

It will be years before the long-term effects of Covid are known. With no official "rules", my personal view is that I want to avoid Covid, if I possibly can. Rates of infection, including hospitalisations and deaths are increasing in my area and I can't think of anything which is worth putting myself in a risky situation. If I had symptoms of anything infectious, I most certainly wouldn't want to put other people at risk.

Like Franbern, I have an asthmatic cough which is often brought on by a change in temperature. So if I walk into the pub from the cold, I start coughing. I tend to wave my inhaler about like an idiot, hoping to stop people from thinking I have covid!

MawtheMerrier

Just to cheer you up VioletSky after 30+ years in the classroom I found that when I retired my immune system which had held up well throughout, went down the pan and I went down with everything going. 😷😷😷😷😷😷

I found the opposite. Although I've had other conditions, I don't think I've had an infectious "bug" for 10 years. Before that, I had some kind of cold/cough/tummy bug every year without fail.

Quite. I was really pleased to get a face to face appointment with the GP yesterday for DH, who thought it could wait till the New Year. His chest infection has exacerbated his angina. The antibiotics should clear it and if the angina does not stabilise he will need to go to hospital. His blood sugar is also affected. Those with underlying conditions have to be careful and need to take responsibility, as well as those carrying infections.

I walked out the last day of school feeling healthy and relieved, then my AS brought another home. This one, the body aches and pain, I'm living in the bath!

Wishing you all a Healthy Christmas!

Luckygirl3

I am trying to remember whether we all stayed out of others' way if we had a cold before covid happened. I have this dim distant memory that we just bashed on with life.

I am not disagreeing with the OP in any way, but just wondering if we have all changed our habits since covid.

I think people are more wary about the illnesses they have since Covid. Is it Covid or is it one of these very nasty colds that people seem to be coming down with? I know lots of people who’ve had very unpleasant non-Covid bugs that last up to two weeks.

There’s also the consideration that should you become more than averagely ill, will you be able to get any health care?

All the staff at our place with primary school children have been ill most of November/December too Violetsky!

There was an altercation in our butchers yesterday where a woman basically shouted she was late because she had been ill and I said to my husband lets move away from her then as I don't want to be ill for Christmas. Covid hasn't taught some people anything has it?

My family are all ill with heavy colds and hacking coughs. So I have to make the decision whether to spend Christmas day alone or not. Oh dear.

Oh no! I don't seem to get the tummy bugs any more, fingers crossed for the colds and flu soon

Just to cheer you up VioletSky after 30+ years in the classroom I found that when I retired my immune system which had held up well throughout, went down the pan and I went down with everything going. 😷😷😷😷😷😷

Honestly this is the worst winter I have experienced for being ill. I have been well for about 2 weeks out of the last 3 months. Working in a primary school doesn't help.

I always give the option, I never turn up anywhere poorly. I have friends I know will come anyway but I still say it.

I think it's polite

Work, well, if you are upright, in you go lol

My memory of influenza is that I could not get out of bed, let alone actually get dressed and go out.

In the winter so many people have colds etc If eveyone who had one just isolated at home, then the whole infrastructure would grind down and stop working.

For those who feel vulnerable then they should take extra care, any going out and mixing with people is likely to cause a cold or worse.

I have an asthmatic cough - largely kept under control with medication, but always gets bad in winter months. Has done for the last 15 years, not infectious. My goodness how I get looked at these days due to this, feel like a leper.

Commiserations to all those who are poorly and their loved ones and whose Christmas has been disrupted. xx

My DH has flu combined with a chest infection, on antibiotics. We have cancelled going to my DDs for Christmas and his family coming to us on the 27th, his youngest DGD had two nights in hospital on oxygen just after her first birthday in November. We are meant to be having a drinks party on the first of January, I'm not feeling too good, if I get the lurgy we will cancel, it's selfish to pass on your germs. My stepdaughter is an intensive care consultant, her hospital is heaving with flu victims.

I have a sore throat and hacking cough. I shall not go tomorrow to DS2 & family as I had planned. So far DH is fine and he will go, take the presents send eat Christmas Dinner. Hopefully he will bring me back something to eat. I am disappointed and would have loved yo see the DGC open their gifts. I know DS & DP will have put a lot if effort into the preparations so I also feel guilty but DGD (5) recently had an operation and coughing as much as I am would be a major set back for her. We can all get together in a couple of weeks.

DH is very poorly with a chest infection. We don’t know where he got it from as he hasn’t been anywhere socially, just the local shops. There is so much illness about. Many people are vulnerable and those with coughs and sneezes should be aware that others are vulnerable and keep their distance.

I am trying to remember whether we all stayed out of others' way if we had a cold before covid happened. I have this dim distant memory that we just bashed on with life.

I am not disagreeing with the OP in any way, but just wondering if we have all changed our habits since covid.

notgran

I have had 3 social events cancelled in the lead up to Christmas. Two I didn't go to as I knew one of the folk were unwell and I didn't want to risk it, the other I wasn't feeling great on the day so cancelled myself but in fact it turned out I was fine the next day. The result? I only went to one Christmas "do". It was fun and we were all healthy and happy. I don't feel tremendously Christmassy but I do feel very fit. I can deal with a Family get together tomorrow and we will all be fit. So, what I'm saying is I may have been a pre-Christmas Grinch but I am a heathy Christmas Gal!

Such wise words! And and Merry Christmas!

I have had 3 social events cancelled in the lead up to Christmas. Two I didn't go to as I knew one of the folk were unwell and I didn't want to risk it, the other I wasn't feeling great on the day so cancelled myself but in fact it turned out I was fine the next day. The result? I only went to one Christmas "do". It was fun and we were all healthy and happy. I don't feel tremendously Christmassy but I do feel very fit. I can deal with a Family get together tomorrow and we will all be fit. So, what I'm saying is I may have been a pre-Christmas Grinch but I am a heathy Christmas Gal!

Several years ago (2009?) my cousin got married.
I came down with swine flu a few days before the event.
As soon as I realised that I’d caught it (it was spreading like wild fire at my school) I phoned my cousin and other relatives and said that I wouldn’t be going.
Half my family (Dad and others) were very sympathetic and understanding; while others (I’m looking at you, my lovely late Nan) insisted that I must go to the wedding, and that I was just being difficult and selfish!

Can you imagine if I’d gone!
I was told to self isolate for a month, and when I had to see the GP I had to go in the backdroor and he was PPE’d up.
A taste of things to come…

It's not just covid that's around. There are multiple viruses and bacterial infections on the go just now because of the lockdowns and no one building up immunity from them for last 2 years especially children. Primary schools and nurseries are badly affected and these germs get passed through to adults as well. Now had 2 GC with scarlet fever, coughs, snotty colds, croup and third now coughing. None covid related and passed on to parents and grandparents (not the scarlet fever).

Social occasions aren't compulsory so if you have a virus you should not go.
If you have to go out wear a mask to reduce passing your germs on to others.
What may be a few uncomfortable days for some can be life threatening to others.

That's incredibly selfish. One of my relatives went away for the weekend and a fellow guest was unwell, turned out to be Covid. Been passed on to several vulnerable people including a mother of a newborn as a direct result. Several people have been very unwell. People should make every effort to keep their germs to themselves. In the original posters scenario I would have left. There's no way I'm sitting next to someone snivelling into a tissue either!

some people have no regard for hygiene or community responsibility.
i still use a mask when shopping and at a funeral.
i think we all have to protect ourselves as much as possible.