It's best to stay home when sick
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EmailPrevent the spread of bacteria and viruses to co-workers by staying home when sick.
We all have those days when we just don’t feel well. Do we stay home? Or do we go to work? Unfortunately, the answer doesn’t always depend on us but when it does there are perfectly good reasons why we need to stay home when sick and one of them is preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses to co-workers.
This is especially important if you work with seniors or other adults who might have autoimmune diseases. This includes people with:
- Type 1 diabetes
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Celiac disease
- Multiple sclerosis
As we age our immune system tends to become less efficient at preventing bacteria and viruses from causing disease. Senior aged adults also need to avoid people with disease symptoms.
So how do we decide when to stay home or go to work? Michigan State University Extension recommends these guidelines:
- Are you running a fever? If you have a fever, you should stay home and call your medical care provider.
- Do you have a sore throat? Another reason to stay home and call your doctor. Especially if you see white patches on your tonsils. This could be a sign of a strep infection.
- Are you achy all over and unusually tired? These symptoms combined with a fever might indicate you have the flu. Stay home and call your health care provider.
- Are you coughing? Coughing with sinus drainage and no other symptoms is probably due to allergies. But if you develop other symptoms like a fever or the cough gets progressively worse, call your health care provider and stay home.
- Do you have a headache? Headaches with sneezing, stuffy noses and sinus pain or drainage might be signs of a cold. Do your co-workers a favor and stay home.
Don’t try to impress your boss with your attendance record. It just isn’t worth it in the long run. You will recover from your illness quicker when staying home, resting and staying hydrated. Plus you co-workers will be protected from having your bacteria and viruses passed on to them.
Simply put, when you’re sick you need to stay home.
