The common cold causes a loss of $25 billion dollars a year in productivity. So what’s worse? Going to work, risking the infection of others? Or staying home and losing money and time?
I have a cold. It is not a horrible cold, although I am a bit tired, fuddle-headed, and generally stuffy. From hour to hour, I can sound or appear to be better or worse, but really I’m the same. I blow my nose, I drink my liquids, and I cope. I don’t have a fever or bacterial infection. I have paid for the doctor to tell me that I have a cold. The doctor trip did not diminish, improve, or otherwise impact the cold, except that I had the opportunity to infect even more people. Considering it’s only November and I can, statistically speaking, expect another four colds this Winter, should I stay home or not? I’ve been generally opting for not, but my boss and office-mates keep giving me dirty looks. They don’t want my cold. I don’t blame them. I don’t want my cold either.
However, I believe I contracted it from one of the twenty or so people in the office who also have colds. The office ventilation system makes sure we all breathe common air in the central area. The nearest windows are shut (if they are even operable). But worse, in my profession, I interact with easily 20 different employees in a day. Many I can keep at a distance, via email or telephone only. Others I exchange physical documents with, signing off on presentations, proposals. These documents physically cross my desk – I touch them – others then touch them. We could be spreading germs around. The worst, sometimes I have to actually meet with someone in my office. Then there is nothing between them and I except a few feet and a tissue.
So what’s worse? Staying home or going in to work? Being completely unproductive or risking infecting others? Or, can I truly achieve a happy medium by using decent infection control practices and staying at work?
I’m hoping that the happy medium will pay off. The common cold can be transmitted via three routes, each of which I am combating:
- Contact transmission – I smear virus on someone. It’s thought that the virus can survive on the skin for two hours – that gives the other person two hours to touch their eyes, nose or mouth, thereby infecting themselves. To combat this I am limiting my contact with others, using tissues, and washing my hands frequently.
- Surface infection – I smear the virus on a surface, someone touches the contaminated surface, and they infect themselves. It (depending on the exact it) can live for up to 48 hours on some surfaces. To combat this I am limiting my circulation in the office, only touching common areas after I wash my hands (like the copier or coffee machine) and wiping down my office with antiseptic wipes.
- Direct Transmission – I sneeze or cough virus at someone, they directly inhale it. The most foolproof for the virus. Again – tissues are key – help prevent sneezing into the airflow. At least then the virus is only on my hands. Wash hands, no more virus.
Great resource on treatment options, aka how to get the symptoms under control, plus common cold myths: Commoncold.org
ps. Despite rumors to the contrary, I do not have pneumonia. Really!
pps. Working out with a cold is nearly impossible.
ppps. I actually think I contracted two colds, back to back.
UPDATE: 12/19 – I do now have pneumonia, as does my son. My husband and my co-workers are all fine, however. So ha!
