PSA: "Starting to feel better" does not equal "not infectious"

[sonia]

This PSA brought to you by the friend I met with outdoors, so no masks, who breathed in my face and then said he's recovering from a cold. "I'm feeling better, so I'm not infectious anymore." His voice was still raspy and it was clear his head was still full of gunk. I had a stuffed head and occasional sneezing for a week. Fortunately a week when I didn't have many in-person plans.

And also by the friend who said she had a mild sore throat a couple days before I was seeing her. When I checked in, she said she was feeling fine and a mask wasn't necessary. I had my doubts, but went along with the social pressure. Now I have a scratchy throat and raspy voice, and she has developed laryngitis. Welp. I did have a lot of in-person plans this week, but I guess I'll be canceling them.

I haven't tested positive for Covid in all this, so maybe they're "just" colds. But I still don't feel well, and they disrupt my life, since I don't want to keep passing the germs along.

I sympathize - before the start of the pandemic, my mantra used to be "I'm not sick! I'm not sick! I'm getting better! I'm getting better!" I know it's hard to communicate about illness and just stay home, but please, just stay home until you're really symptom-free, not just starting to feel better.

Comments

[house_wren]

It does seem like some kind of cultural or human need to ignore illness. Well, that, and capitalism.

Most of the time I can just wear a mask and politely decline invitations to go places that don't feel safe; once in a while I feel hurt or angry. Most people can't remember that my immune system is faulty.

I'm grateful that I like solitude. It would be a lot harder to protect myself if I was extroverted.

[sonia]

Yeah. Capitalism. *spits*

I'm glad it mostly works for you, and I'm sorry people can't remember about your immune system. I don't mind solitude, but I also have hobbies that are best done in groups, which is awkward these days.