Attending hospital with flu!

I live in the US, and in all the medical buildings I attend, everyone wears masks, both staff and patients. Also, when I take my dogs to the vet’s, masks are required; not the pets obviously, before anyone makes that joke!!!

Valdali, the appointment l had was with a private doctor; a clinic as l said. The woman with flu was not there because of flu - she should have seen her own gp if she was worried about her flu - she was attending the clinic for the same reason l was. I would imagine almost everyone else, including the doctor, was infected by her selfishness. I am a lifelong asthmatic and it would be very easy for me to get pneumonia because of flu. Thankfully I did not.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ParlorGames

This type of irresponsible behaviour is a pet hate of mine and makes me really angry. Why didn't the man speak to the staff on arrival to explain his situation - finding him a more isolated position couldn't have been difficult surely?
It also annoys me when the staff do the rounds on a ward taking basic obs - BP, pulse etc - and the fail to wipe the equipment between patients. I have only ever seen this happen once and I commented on it to the Care Assistant at the time. He replied "we should all do that, it is part of basic training" .
No wonder so many bugs and infections get passed around in hospitals.

Glad I'm not the only one annoyed by this.

According to the ward sister last time I was in hospital, they are all supposed to wipe the cuff in between patients, as it is indeed part of their basic training. And there's usually a pack of those 'Clinnel' wipes in the basket attached to the BP monitor which they wheel around. They just don't bother.

i still always wear a mask in shops hospital etc this is mainly because I have COPD and want to do my best to avoid any illness that could land me in hospital because its gone onto my lungs but also to be one less person for our over stretched hospitals to treat

A mask protects other people from what you might have. If you are wearing a mask it does not protect you from what an unmasked person might have.

VeeScott

A mask protects other people from what you might have. If you are wearing a mask it does not protect you from what an unmasked person might have.

I think I prefer to take the advice of WHO and my clinicians

Masks should be used as part of a comprehensive strategy of measures to suppress transmission and save lives; the use of a mask alone is not sufficient to provide an adequate level of protection against COVID-19.

If COVID-19 is spreading in your community, stay safe by taking some simple precautions, such as physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning your hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue. Check local advice where you live and work. Do it all!

Make wearing a mask a normal part of being around other people. The appropriate use, storage and cleaning or disposal of masks are essential to make them as effective as possible.

However, I am will to read any alternative evidence, that they are ineffective.

The nurse should have taken him to another room and taken his temp.
There is no way he should have been allowed to sit next to anyone.

I have just had a viral infection for 2 weeks. My GP told me that it's infectious as long as I am coughing or sneezing. Surely some measures should have been taken by staff to avoid transmission during treatment!

I would have complained at the time and I insisted on him wearing a mask. wouldn't make you popular but you would have been safer. I would still raise a complaint now.