Charismatic

FFS does everyone have one now? Stay away from me you desperate snivelling sicks. They should be made to wear nitrile gloves, breathing apparatus and wear a fluorescent jacket to warm others of the contagion they are harbouring and festering within their bodies .

What happened to people taking a couple of days off and staying at home with some Lemsip?

barnsleymat

Been saying the same since I got here 3 months ago, what's up with em all. Out of 20 of us at work I'm the only one not had a cold, it's a wonder with them all coughing, sneezing, sniffing at me constantly poking fingers up their noses. It's even worse on the train, somedays it like I'm on a cattle truck with all the pig noises.

Vile

Persephone

I'm never ill and I seem to be coming down with something

At least it doesn't seem to be mumps- a workmate has it and I've never been vaccinated or had it previously

lardyl

Whatever happened to a real sick entitlement?

Anyway I'm on aspro clear and betnadine gargles for the throat, and lemon from the garden with hot water, manuka honey, fresh ginger and a pinch of paprika pepper to get the nose juices moving. Yummie. Oh yeah and 5 weeks after starting the cough, and 3 months after the kids and missus started I'm on antibiotics. Joy.

Charismatic

Antibiotics don't work on viruses though?

I might cast myself a few rubber hands I can keep so when I need to shake hands with the diseased or take something from a contagious person and then throw it into a bucket of Virkon without that socially awkward "Put the file in the plastic bag which I'll seal and read in a flow cabinet with with gloves on while under UV treatment" or asking people to autoclave objects before returning them .

Charismatic

You should ask for a Zorb at work, sick people inside and healthy people outside. You could still scuffle about like a hamster at work without endangering the rest of us.

lardyl

it's probably for the seconday infection and possibly strep that seems to be endemic in NZ. bet it was a virus for about 4 and a half weeks in all of our cases, but once the kids and the missus had the antibiotics the chest and throat stuff cleared up.

watch out for those arm crevices where everyone it told to cough, not that it's easy to lick an armpit or elbow crease, unless you're married to a princess and looking for a dwarf's cleavage....allegedly....

Kevin

My wife works in an office environment, and she is aghast at the number of folk who turn up for work coughing and spluttering all over the place.

She once brought the subject up with a kiwi colleague and was told “we don’t take holidays unless we are dying… we are a tough lot, not like you! (meaning kiwis as opposed to anyone else)” Personally I think this is so bloody self centred, as they seem to think that spreading their diseases is their concern and no one else’s. My wife was quick to point out to me, well its funny that, as most of the office staff do indeed take ALL of their sick leave entitlement, but which often seems to coincide with noticeable events (often Rugby), or tagged on to bank holidays etc. Instead of being at home when they should be, and helping to prevent the spread of germs.

Now I’m going out on a limb here, but I think the Chinese have it right with their use of masks. That is, many who have a cold will wear a paper mask, which helps prevent the spread of germs through airborne cause, ie sneezing, breathing etc. If nothing else, it does show respect for other people, instead of just saying “not my fault if you get my cold!”….

As for kiwi’s being tough, well that’s a matter of opinion, some would say stupid (in the context of what we are discussing) but it sure seems funny that bronchial problems here in NZ are very prevalent.

Expat Kiwi

I've not had a cold in years. At the first signs put a few drops of tree tea in some water, gargle with it for a few seconds and you won't either.

Expat Kiwi

That's because they're saving their paid sick leave for when they need it for a day off to do something nice, there's no sense it wasting it on being ill! And why bother staying at home when you're sick and paying for the heating when you could be at work using theirs?

IngStina

Would be interesting to hear how they react the new movie 'Contagion'.

Kevin

Exactly!

Bo-Jangles

My office sounds the same and quite frankly I think it's indicative of the unhealthy levels of damp and cold conditions that people are living in, combined with lack of money for doctors visits unless they're at deaths door.

I don't dare to think what the homes of some of my work colleagues must be like, some of them seem to have had the same cough for months - I have had one cold in six years.

Bo-Jangles

Hand hygiene leaves a lot to be desired too, shudders at the thought of certain people I see leaving the lavatory without washing their hands. Filthy b'stards!!

I don't touch door handles or stair rails and am very choosy about whose food I eat at those morning teas and shared lunches.

Persephone

My workplaces sound like havens of good health compared to some of you out there. They do tend to take time off and not come in when ill and I work in about 4 different places with different people. Maybe it's something to do with the job I do, leads to development of a very robust immune system??

At least my threatened 'illness' hasn't turned into anything else