Warning: This is a rant.
If I had a nickel for every time I hear the phrase "I'm not contagious" or "I'm not sick, it's just allergies..." I could effing FIRE ten times over by now. Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but I'd have at least $4 this flu season alone.
Seriously, where does this mentality come from? When someone is actively coughing and sneezing, how in the world can they possibly conclude that whatever they have is not contagious, and therefore it's okay for them to be at work, at a party, out in public, etc.? HOW??????? If it's not contagious, how the f**k did you get it?????
Multiple web sources indicate that as long as you have symptoms, whatever you have is contagious.
From webmd:
How long is the flu contagious?
About a week. You’re contagious from 1 day before you have any symptoms. You stay that way for 5 to 7 days after you start feeling sick. Kids may be able to spread the virus for even longer, until all of their symptoms fade.
How do I spread it?
Most of the time, it’s through droplets in the air. Sick people sneeze or cough out beads of moisture that contain the flu virus. They can travel up to 6 feet. You’re exposed to the flu virus when you breathe the droplets in, or if they land in your mouth, nose, or eyes. You can also get it if you touch a place those droplets land -- like a desk, counter, or doorknob -- and then touch your face. The virus can live on hard surfaces for up to 48 hours.
And here's where it gets non-Mustachian:
For Christmas, the lasting gift I received was Influenza A, confirmed via nasal swab.
Cost of visit to urgent care clinic: $50
Cost of Tamiflu for me: $5 (LOVE this insurance! Unfortunately, it's ending December 31.)
Cost of Tamiflu as a prophylactic for my husband: $5
Our out of pocket cost of hospitalization which is certain to occur if my husband gets this illness: $6,750, which is our new deductible before our insurance pays anything. He's in a high-risk category and even a common cold will turn into pneumonia for him, guaran-damn-teed.
Here are a couple of examples of poor judgment I've witnessed recently:
Example 1 - Christmas party - we walk in and start greeting people we haven't seen in a while. THREE PEOPLE indicated we should not get too close to them because they are fighting a nasty cold. SERIOUSLY, THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE????? (These people don't even know about my husband's health challenges, so this was just their common courtesy to everyone at the party.)
Example 2 - Symphony event (hundreds of people) - woman behind me is coughing. And coughing. And coughing. NOT ONCE did she cover her mouth. (I know this because during intermission, I was turned to the side facing my friend and I could see this woman coughing into the air. Unfortunately, by the time I realized it, I had already been coughed on multiple times.) I mean, isn't this just something people know to do--cover your cough with your hand, a tissue, or ideally, your elbow? What the f**k? I almost said something, but I couldn't think of a nice way to say "How can you be so fucking stupid, lady? Please cover your mouth when you cough so you don't spread your germs. Better yet, stay home when you are this sick." I'm 99.9% certain this is how I got the flu. The timing is right, not to mention the behavior.
I'm genuinely curious...where does the "I'm not contagious" mentality come from? How did/do people come to this conclusion? If you hold this belief, please educate me because I need to know what I'm up against in today's world. At what point do you believe you become not contagious?
I fully acknowledge that I am a certified germophobe out of necessity, and I am overly sensitive about the spread of germs, but I really need to know how other reasonably intelligent people think about this topic.