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Cindy1302's avatar

Should I act as though I'm sick?

Asked by Cindy1302 (806points) September 2nd, 2022

I went to visit my dad today. We hugged, and I sat in his house and talked for a while with him maskless. He then gave me a ride home in his truck. About a 10 min drive. I then offered him a sip of my soda, then he said ‘oh no thanks. I have a sore throat”. I said “well I hope I don’t get a sore throat now”. He was just like “oh well didn’t kiss or anything. We just hugged”. Well we all know a sore throat is much more contagious than that. Feel pretty disappointed he came and let me visit when he knew he had a sore throat. Anyways, should I act as though I’m sick even though I don’t feel it? Should I stay home from the store and such? Even work?

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17 Answers

Hawaii_Jake's avatar

No, I suggest you carry on and let your health play itself out naturally as it will.

longgone's avatar

No, that’s manipulative. Next time you go, you could ask if he’s feeling sick at all before coming over. You can explain that you’re worried about getting ill, can’t afford to miss work, or whatever your reasons are.

JLeslie's avatar

I’d wear a mask for a few days or distance from people. I wouldn’t go near anywhere near anyone who is very high risk for a few days, or at least test before and wear a mask.

This just happened to me that I went to visit a friend with cancer and while at her house her husband coughed. Then 15 minutes later a more serious coughing jag. I asked her if he is sick and she said, “yesterday he started with just some congestion and some coughing.” Then she continued, “he doesn’t have a fever.”

FUCK. I will never understand it. Luckily, I was never near him, he was a good 30 feet away when we were at our closest, but I hugged my friend and was talking to her for a good 45 minutes in the house. I had to cancel seeing another friend because of it.

Why are you offering anyone a sip of your drink? Never share drinks, make-up, etc. The day before someone is sick they are contagious. That’s true for flu, colds, even cold sores you can give to someone before your visibly sick and the germs that cause cavities can be shared too.

janbb's avatar

Some people worry about getting sick much more than other people do. Some of us take it for granted that we will be exposed to colds occasionally and it won’t kill us. If you’re not sick, don’t act like you are.

JLeslie's avatar

@janbb It might kill someone else.

Imagine if we as a society took a few more precautions. Probably a significant percentage (I don’t mean the majority) of the people who died from covid the first few months would be alive and we would probably lose much fewer people to flu every year.

The only precautions I’m asking for is if someone feels sick to stay away from people or wear a mask. There will still be people who aren’t symptomatic and getting people sick, but we can only control so much.

Are you really ok with being with sick people for an hour with no precautions when it’s completely unnecessary?

chyna's avatar

@JLeslie I have to disagree. We will never be rid of Covid and can’t let it control our lives. Sure we need to be a little careful, but not to the point that we can’t visit friends and we cower in fear. But each to our own.
@Cindy1302 What would be the point in pretending you are sick? To punish your father? Maybe he didn’t even think about health because he just wanted to see you.

canidmajor's avatar

No, don’t pretend like you’re sick. As @longgone says, it’s manipulative.

Take appropriate precautions in appropriate situations without overreacting.
Being worried all the time is extreme and unhealthy. Look after yourself, and don’t try to police everybody else. Nowhere did you specifically mention Covid, so I am guessing that you didn’t think that that was a probability.

JLeslie's avatar

I never said pretend to be sick.

I also never said only covid counts.

I go to dinner with friends, Disney, zumba, it’s not like I’m locked in a room.

chyna's avatar

^No one said you did.

canidmajor's avatar

Some of us are simply posting on the Q, @JLeslie, and not addressing you, specifically.

JLeslie's avatar

@chyna Didn’t think about his health because he wanted to see her? How is that ok? Obviously, he did think enough to not drink from her drink. In the OP’s situation I don’t know if she can drive over and see her dad almost any day, or if she flew in from out of town. If it’s a short drive, it could have waited until next week or they could have worn masks.

It’s just everyone has a different take on what precautions make sense or what illnesses warrant doing anything to protect others.

Most people seem to not give a shit if they give someone else a cold. I’ll never understand it. Ok, in a house full of young children it’s almost unavoidable, but other situations it can be avoided.

Also, I did read your post incorrectly, I see now you were addressing the OP about behaving like she is sick not me.

JLeslie's avatar

By the way, it certainly could be covid. We have no idea what it is and either does her dad.

chyna's avatar

Yeah, they both probably should take a Covid test just to be sure.

Cindy1302's avatar

I didn’t mean for it to be manipulative. I Wasn’t gonna even mention it to my dad, or am I missing something?

canidmajor's avatar

I’m sorry, @Cindy1302, I apparently didn’t understand, you’re right. I would still go on as if you’re OK, unless you don’t feel totally fine. If you are concerned, definitely take a test to set your mind at ease.

JLeslie's avatar

I personally wouldn’t bother with a test if you feel fine unless you’re going to see someone very high risk.

Almost everyone I know with covid doesn’t even test positive the first day that they feel sick it’s usually day 2 or 3.

SABOTEUR's avatar

What useful purpose does it serve to feign illness?

There’s a simple but thought provoking admonition I’m ever mindful of:

“Be wary of what you wish for (pray for, focus attention upon)...

…you just might get it”.

If you’re concerned about having contracted illness it’s probably prudent to see a doctor.

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