Boy, avoiding the flu is sure hard work.

[BuyingThyme]

I never realized how many friggin public door knobs and handles I have to touch each day, how many times I have to sign my name with somebody else's pen, how all the desks, tables, and countertops seem to be frosted with a layer of somebody else's snot. The places we buy food, of all places, are the worst. Especially at checkout. I even avoided shaking a guy's hand today. Now that I think of it, maybe he was doing the same. You mommys and daddys must be goin' crazy by now. I find comfort in touching the smooth surfaces in my own car because I know it's safe in there.

Is it just me?

[babylonsister]

1. Be right back-gotta wash my hands. nt

[Catshrink]

2. I'm a teacher and deal with kids coughing and sneezing all day long.

Mostly it's allergies. It is a little disconcerting though.

[BuyingThyme]

9. I wonder if teachers build up immunities to this kinda stuff.

[Catshrink]

14. I think to some degree we do.

My first year I was sick a lot and less so in subsequent years. The flu might be different. I did get a shot but I'm not sure it's good for this strain.

[L. Coyote]

3. I have a bottle of alcohol gel in my ride now.

I departed Moab, UT, last night because the town is a hotbed of international travelers. My travel and fieldwork plans just changed radically.

[uppityperson]

4. My young adult kid traded cars with me, then called because was sick with

the flu, a couple wks ago. Thanks for leaving me with the infected-mobile kid!

Indeed, we have gotten used to not washing hands enough and this is a good reminder to start again. And no, washing after wiping after peeing isn't that important, unless you are in a public toilet that may be contaminated by other people's, um, stuff. Your own body, your urine, is safe. It is all that stuff that other people cough on, and touch, and...yuck

[kestrel91316]

5. After working in a microbiology lab for a few years (and being in charge

of keeping things properly cleaned, among other things) and then having my vet clinic, disinfecting every fricking thing all day long is a major habit of mine. People laugh at my kitchen habits at home, wiping down countertops every time I turn around (they don't laugh at how I never get food poisoning, however).

And then if anybody in the office is sneezing or coughing, lol, I REALLY crack the whip, with orders to disinfect all doorknobs and phone receivers and such 3-4 times a day. We strongly discourage clients from bringing kitty in for non-urgent care when the client has a respiratory infection (and we REALLY encourage them to leave the sick toddlers at home, lol). But I rarely get the flu anymore, and colds are pretty infrequent, too.

[The Straight Story]

6. Hell, I wash my hands even after touching myself

Oh wait, that sounds bad...

[BuyingThyme]

11. We appreciate that.

I do anyways.

[derby378]

7. Can't talk now - I'm testing out my gas mask

Gotta make sure it's airtight, otherwise that virus could sneak right in.

[ProfessorGAC]

10. You Can Post With A Gas Mask On??

Geez, i have to take off my glasses to put my gas mask on, and then i can't see the screen!

You're lucky. In order for me to post, i have to take off my gas mask. The horror!
GAC

[Oak2004]

22. Silly :) A cheap n95 would spare you all that fogging up n/t

[htuttle]

8. Not worried -- I picked up a 24 pack of these...

Gotta remember though -- next time, get the non-lubricated ones...

[BuyingThyme]

12. It must be diffucult to have sex with one of those on.

[W_HAMILTON]

13. Until you realize everything you touched outside of your car...

...has now been carried into your car...by YOU.

DUN DUN DUN

[Mike 03]

15. Yeah, this is actually a very serious question that merits some thoughtful responses.

It is not practical for many people to avoid the infection if they have to commute in a city and work eight hours five days a week with colleagues.

This has to be admitted.

[BuyingThyme]

16. Especially if you commute on a bus or train.

[Mike 03]

19. My very best friend commutes by van in Los Angeles, and I worry about her and everyone

else using mass transit.

This is a very worriesome situation, IMO. I hope you will be okay and every other DU'er who spends most of his or her day in a difficult environment will be okay.

There's no way to sugar coat this that I can think of. It's a potentially dangerous situation.

[BuyingThyme]

20. If you think your friend has problems, look at #17.

(No offense #17.)

[rainbow4321]

17. Tell me about it..I take mass trans to and from work

Train and bus. I'm sure it's been happening all along but I do notice more now people sticking their fingers in their mouths (to clean the teeth or something) and leaving them in their a while (ugh) or eating their breakfast on the bus...some other guy started a conversation with me the other night and was picking his nose in the process.
I wash my hands after I get off but it's still creepy to notice this stuff more now. So bad I want to take a bacterial wipey thing from work and wash the pole next to the seat off or the metal handle on the seat. That'd be a lost cause with everything that people touch all over the bus/train. Think I will get me pocketsize hand gel, instead.
I'm probably more likely to pick something up there than at our outpatient clinic since we now have housekeeping going around wiping everything down all the time plus the precautions we are taking.

[BuyingThyme]

18. You're scaring me.

What's that part again about the fingers being left in the mouths?

[rainbow4321]

21. Yeah, no quick, discreet mouth pickers on the bus, let me tell ya

Obviously nasty, unpleasant stares don't get their attention cuz the guy yesterday must have been finger boxing with his uvula.

[BuyingThyme]

23. Rofl.

:rofl: