What precautions do you take around a sick and contagious family member?

I am sure not to eat or drink after them. Wash my hands more often. Try not to get too close (to avoid anything airborne from their coughing/sneezing).

Other than that, I just hope my immune system is strong enough to fight off whatever they have.

I stay away. I also have essential oils that I use to ward off viruses.

Hand washing and not getting too close. Hope for the best.

I avoid touching doorknobs and I wash my hands frequently. Maybe it’s just placebo, but it’s worked enough that I just keep doing it. :\

I usually book a hotel or an impromptu vacation until it passes. There are a lotta last minute deals to be taken advantage of + in this economy it truly is a buyer’s market.

Never touch my face always clean my hands, knock on wood I have not been sick since I was 23 I had that bird flu…or some kind of flu I felt dead I swear. I’m 33. I wonder if there’s something wrong with me as to why I dont get sick.

@Meego; haha, I’m definitely jealous. I always say that I don’t get sick, but really, I think I get sick once every year. =\. Strong immune system perhaps? Or maybe also good precautions. haha. ;)

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I had some kind of flu, I think my mistake was sitting right beside my brother while watching a movie.. But I thought he was well enough to not be contagious.

I’ve never really changed behavior at all. Sometimes I’ve gotten sick and sometimes not. As a side note, I’ve never had flu.

Not much you can do. Be resigned to the fact that you’re exposed. Wash your hands.

The telephone mouthpiece, well, it’s aimed right at your mouth, where people do the whole breathing crap in and breathing crap out thing… to paraphrase:

The germs crawl in, the germs crawl out,
The germs play pinochle on your snout.
They eat your eyes, they eat your nose,
They eat the jelly between your toes.
A big green germ with rolling eyes,
Crawls in your stomach and out your eyes.
Your stomach turns a slimy green,
And pus pours out like whipping cream.
You spread it on a slice of bread,
And that’s what you eat when you are dead.

If you’re concerned, and I don’t mind getting sick with some of these things to be honest, just one more thing my immune system can be locked and loaded for next time, but if you’re concerned I would suggest wiping down the mouthpiece of any shared telephone you might have in the house. Wipe it off with a Lysol or some anti-viral and anti-bacterial wipe or something like that.

I probably wash my hands more and clean more, but I’m the care taker, so I can’t avoid being around them or giving them forehead kisses and comforting hugs. Then I’m the one who holds the tissue so he can blow his nose (he’s 6) and even the 16 year old hands me his snot tissue to throw away….so, washing hands. I’m the one washing the toilet after the throwing up or diarrhoea. If I get sick, I get sick and plow through because there is no one else. The only thing I hate more than getting sick is when I sit on my ass when I’m sick and then have to catch up on housework when I’m feeling better. I’ve been in the ER with gall stones on day, then getting up at 7am and walking the kids to school the next. I’m pretty damn tough. Don’t be a baby when you’re sick. It’s really not necessary.

The BEST thing you can do is keep your immune system as healthy as you can so that when you are inevitably exposed to bugs, you don’t get as sick as the rest of them and you can just keep working. That means, enough sleep, regular exercise, eating well and limit alcohol and processed food. Some people swear by taking extra vit C when they feel something just coming on.

@cazzie; haha, very admirable. Yes, my mother too.. =)

@lillycoyote; ohh. never thought about the phone! ickk.. and very interesting poem.. lol. :P

@curiouscat You never sang The Hearse Song when you were a kid?

Nothing, really. It’s near impossible to avoid exposure from someone you live with, no matter how scrupulously clean you both are. My immune system is pretty healthy and if I do catch a cold or something like that it rarely affects me for very long.

@lillycoyote; haha.. I guess not!

Well, they have a product called “Airborne” that is supposed to strengthen your immune system to protect you from getting sick. you can find this product in common stores, such as Walgreens, walmart, etc.