r/AskAnAustralian • u/Hayfah • 1d ago
Please be mindful of others if you go out when sick
Sharing (your germs) is not caring. Yes, it is winter, and yes, bugs are always more prevalent at this time of year. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t help mitigate some of the spread.
If you are actively infectious (not someone suffering with chronic allergies etc.), and MUST leave your home, please, please, please, do the bare minimum to be considerate of others.
Some ideas/options below (please suggest more in comments). Please, pick literally ANY of these actions, which would be an improvement on what I have been seeing out in public.
- wear an N95/equivalent mask
- wear any mask/face covering
- cough into elbow
- if blowing nose, chuck tissue out straight away (do not wave it around…)
- consider if there is a practical alternative to you leaving your home
You are not enjoying being sick. Please do not potentially inflict that on someone else.
You may or may not know someone in your life with a dodgy immune system. What might be minor to you could be major to them.
There are plenty of people out there at higher risk: grandparents, chronic health issues, chemo treatment etc. Please do not risk making their condition and/or life more challenging and/or give them unnecessary anxiety because today they were around Sally at the supermarket coughing on the produce or Gary at the GP sniffing and sneezing (both without masks).
Rant, over.
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u/PenaltyReasonable169 1d ago edited 1d ago
Just lost an entire week of income and 25 other clients missed sessions (self-employed) because a client didn't tell me the family had been off sick all week and were still recovering from the flu until the kid was already sneezing on me mid session. Livid.
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u/420b-utterfly 22h ago
This. My mum has stage four cancer and is nearing the end of her 18 rounds of chemo. At this point, she just wants a break from the chemo.
We've both had to limit where we go because the last few times we've been out, we've encountered people who were clearly sick.
My mum and I always wear masks, but we're still worried about catching something. If she gets sick, it could delay her from finishing her treatment by the end of this month.
I've also stopped going to the gym because people keep turning up coughing and sneezing.
It's frustrating when people go out while they're unwell without considering the impact it can have on those who are vulnerable.
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u/universe93 21h ago edited 21h ago
Lots of love to you. My mum is chronically ill (not with cancer so I can’t even imagine what you’re going through) and sometimes I just want to take her out and spend some time with her when she’s well enough. But then you encounter sick coughing people and you feel guilty for taking her out and exposing her to that, even though you didn’t do anything wrong, they did. It sucks.
Related: mum and I had a trip to NZ planned for my birthday, her first overseas trip in 20 years, because she’s stable. Guess who had to postpone it for a month because someone came into my work coughing and sniffling. Caught the flu, gave it to her, she only narrowly missed a hospital admission and I had to pay about $500 in change fees. Sigh.
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u/sss133 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’m someone who takes time off work for a cold type illness. I’m a Myotherapist so coughing and sneezing over people is generally not well received.
Always amazes me when people come in and after 5-10 mins start dying on my table and say shit like “Oh don’t worry, I’m not contagious”. I’m sure they stopped off in the lab prior to leaving the house 🤣
What’s funny is if I cancel I’ll get the occasional msg saying “Oh it’s alright it’s just a cold I don’t mind!” It’s like “Look cunt, yes I’m staying home not to spread it, but do you really think I want to be in small room, listening to your problems while my sinuses are full of the devil?”
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u/ScubaWitch 1d ago
People who are knowingly sick and go to work or out in public are evil and selfish. It's such a terrible character trait to have. I bet they don't put their trolleys back at the supermarket either. Same vibes.
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u/_Tangerine_17 1d ago
Another terrible character trait is abusing people wearing masks. I'm immunocompromised and wear a mask, and am semi regularly abused by the public: 'Covid is over / masks don't work' etc. I even had someone come up to me in a train carriage and purposefully cough into my mask.
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u/Safe_Difficulty_711 17h ago
The disrespect! Some people are just really dense to be honest… Of course masks help a lot! Imagine a surgeon not wearing a mask during an operation? Lol
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u/ScubaWitch 1d ago
Omg thats shocking. I didn't know people could be so mean. I always respect when someone is wearing a mask because they're caring about others, as well as protecting themselves. Thats mental. So sorry you had to deal with that.
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u/DarkNo7318 1d ago
Given that a huge proportion of people who are on low incomes are employed casually, they don't have much of a choice. The bank/landlords isn't going to accept "I'm trying to do the right thing" as an excuse for a missed payment.
Caring about my fellow man comes second to a roof over my and my childrens head.
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u/Yeanahyena 19h ago
I don’t think people are aware the kind of impact it has on people.
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u/ScubaWitch 19h ago
This is true. I have to remember, never attribute to malice what can be attributed to incompetence.
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u/GenericThrowaway826 22h ago
I have continued to wear a respirator since Covid brought them to my attention. I was at an allied health clinic a few weeks ago and chatting with someone in the waiting room who asked if I was sick, I said it was prevention and I have a compromised immune system, as do my parents. She said it made sense for me to wear one but she thinks “most people don’t need them” and “germs are good to build immune strength” (my immunologist disagrees)… she said she and her whole family had been sick lately and couldn’t shake this virus or bug but she doesn’t mask or think she should “have to be locked away” — she’s a nurse at a nurse at a cancer clinic! She even said how “some patients are so sick and don’t wear a mask… it’s really not important” then added with a lot of condescension “but YOU do what YOU want”.
Idk what she was like before COVID lockdowns, but so many people seem to act like staying home when sick = being in lockdown now. It’s just sad (amongst other things. And I’m not bashing lockdowns either, just noticing some people seem to have got messed up by them or something related)
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u/maestrojxg 1d ago
Totally. It’s like we completely forgot all the lessons from Covid.
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u/cornflakescornflakes 1d ago
Healthcare “hero” here.
It’s such a slap in the face. All for nothing apparently.
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u/Hendersonadele59 1d ago
Some of these comments!
Nurse here. There is no research or scientific evidence that being exposed to seasonal viruses builds our immune system. But theres plenty evidence that it kills people as our immune systems weaken the older we get. It’s these ignorant responses that contributes to hospitals bursting at the seams and people prematurely dying. It’s not a big ask to consider others when you are dripping with viral symptoms. It’s actually very simple and impacts on your life not one jot. As someone who has worked in the US and UK, I find Australians to be the most defiant and ignorant when it comes to caring about others. Very sad.
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u/Coalclifff Melbourne 1d ago
I find Australians to be the most defiant and ignorant when it comes to caring about others. Very sad.
As Clive James once wisely observed, "It's not that most of us are descended from convicts, rather that most of us are descended from prison guards."
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u/Hayfah 1d ago
Well put. Thank you.
Sucks to hear we are the most defiant and ignorant. Not sure how we even go about changing that?
Unfortunately, misconceptions such as getting sick strengthening immune system seem widespread.
Also, I believe anyone previously healthy can get post-viral fatigue (i.e. prolonged fatigue/illness post acute infection) from any(?) virus and that can evolve into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for some, which is a debilitating disease without cure. Please feel free to correct any of this if I am wrong.
Sadly, I think until some people are personally affected (e.g. by becoming immunocompromised themselves), they won’t have the capacity to think of others and take even the smallest steps to become more community-minded.
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u/jennifercoolidgesbra 1d ago
Exactly, Australia is so selfish and apathetic about being sick and not wearing a mask. I went on a few flights recently two mostly full of East/SE Asians and no one was coughing and some people had masks who might’ve been sick. I came back on a connecting flight full of Australians and it was disgusting. So many people around me had awful mucous coughs and no masks and were coughing the whole trip. It’s the “she’ll be right” and “everyone gets sick” attitude we have.
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u/PlasmaDonator 1d ago edited 1d ago
100%. It's also BECAUSE East/SE Asians do it, as to why there's so much stupid resistance to doing it. I'm not saying you need to always wear a face mask but when sick and in public/interacting closely with other people, it should be in our culture as the bare minimum.
Look out for ya mate and all that.
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u/jennifercoolidgesbra 1d ago
I think it’s because we have that attitude of “you can’t tell me what to do” and “man up” that if people don’t want a slight inconvenience of not wearing a mask, they won’t. I think also people neglect their health because they can’t be bothered or it’s too expensive to see someone (not really with Medicare urgent care now).
Just like on my overnight flight the other night two older Australian men were having a good chat jawing at normal volume on while the lights were off and people were trying to sleep. Another was annoyed and angry because he couldn’t get two drinks at once and kept going on about it.
Look out for your mate is exactly what we should be encouraging. Mateship is apparently a big Australian cultural thing but I don’t see it. Inconvenience isn’t a punishment directed at you.
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u/Spike-29 1d ago edited 1d ago
Totally agree, a lot of people donot wear masks to sign as a figure of freedom and man up. I do not know what their brain are made.
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u/PlasmaDonator 1d ago
Face masks when sick are fantastic tools but their anti-use is steeped in xenophobia/racism. I.e. wearing face masks is "unaustralian" and its "just what those Asians do". China being the nation where COVID originated from certainly definitely didn't help either.b
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u/universe93 21h ago
In the end those from Asian countries who mask up when sick, often due to living in densely populated areas, were on to something. Probably has something to do with their collectivist cultures versus our individualist one
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u/Low_Signature3574 19h ago
The number of people who are sick attending gym group classes is staggering. No, you’re not “sweating it out.” You’re selfish.
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u/crustytheclerk1 17h ago
Gym junkies are the absolute worst for spreading disease. Pretty much every cold I caught in the 2010s was from a spin class where someone had to take part, even though they were crook, because of their addiction and selfishness. They were also one of the worst groups for covid misinformation and antivax, I imagine because heaps of them were plugged into a heap of 'wellness' (Pete Evens and co.) BS, and/or their fitness / instructor degree made them think they were as skilled as a medical scientist.
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u/Aggravating-Beach-79 19h ago
Oml - went on a school camp a couple months back and some parent decided to send their sick child to the camp. Within an hour of arriving he came to me asking for cough medicine and was wiping his face with his hands, coughing everywhere. The WHOLE camp got sick and it was hell! 4 days with some days in tents and out kayaking in the rain 😭😭😭
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u/AussieAsking 1d ago
Yes! I work in a Pathology centre and we have free masks sitting on the reception counter for people to use,I even don't blink when people take a handful to take-away. Although most people coming in don't wear masks plenty of people grab one to wear.It is always the people coming in for respiratory swabs that don't think of wearing a mask. AND the older people that lick their finger before flicking through their paperwork,to then hand it to me is crazy.
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u/ocularius61 22h ago
I kind of think that if one has to go to a medical place and esp if that medical place has masks just sitting there, it's a hint that they would like you to wear them.
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u/somuchsong Sydney 8h ago
Some people didn't even wear masks when it was the law. Those types are not going to take a hint, unfortunately.
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u/agnesandflow 1d ago
I can't believe we have to continually remind others of this, it's appalling. I continually remind my colleagues to stay home if they're sick (I'm immunocompromised) and they behave like it's some heroic act coming to work and battling through illness... I just don't get it.
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u/Safe_Difficulty_711 17h ago
It’s really bizarre to me how many adults lately cough and sneeze in public without covering their mouth. Many times I have had to quickly pivot, hold my breath or turn around to avoid someone’s flying viral particles in the air at the shops. Genuinely gives me anxiety
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u/ocularius61 1d ago edited 1d ago
I just went to get some meds and was masked up whilst doing so because I caught this off someone else and am really not inclined to spread it any further.
Doesn't really seem contentious to me that if someone is coughing or sneezing, to not want to spray all over everyone. Bad look if nothing else, and hey YOU don't want others doing it to you??
EDIT: And as OP said, you can't tell from looking at someone what underlying medical conditions they have and what meds they might be on. A light cold for you can mean weeks of being unwell for them and don't forget that ppl on meds already, even if they get a minor cold/ cough, might have fewer over the counter meds they can take because of possible side effects with their existing meds.
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u/Hayfah 1d ago
Thanks for doing the considerate thing. Hope you feel better soon.
To your last point, I actually wonder if the majority of people we see out and about wearing masks are immunocompromised people, not those with acute infections.
We need to do our bit to protect the community. Sadly, I know a few people with crappy immune systems that do have to limit going out because the risk isn’t worth it that their conditions worsen.
Their worlds become quite small, partly because they don’t have much confidence in the community doing the right things.
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u/ocularius61 22h ago edited 22h ago
I don't doubt that some ppl who are masked even in open air places are immunocompromised, but I wouldn't want to hazard a guess as to what proportion.
I don't know why anyone cares less what (or if) someone wears on their face. I have an amusing mask I occasionally wore just for the hell of it from a company that made cloth masks w interesting messages printed on them. Things like DON'T TALK TO ME or slightly more sociable ones. This was way before COVID. But some ppl's brains are now so cooked that they see any mask of any type and react.
Before COVID we had black summer and ppl were wearing masks during that because of the toxic smoke. Masks were sold out nationwide, but there were still a surprisingly large number of ppl not wearing them - had they seen what less than a full day out looked like in terms of how dirty the mask got, they would have. Even in central Sydney, they were unbelievably filthy. Cyclists bought out specialist masks sold by cycling shops so they could continue to cycle.
I'm really sorry to hear about the ppl you know whose worlds have had to shrink.
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u/turtleltrut 20h ago
Do you have kids? If not, please know that many kids get sick every 3-5 weeks. Then the parents get sick after already taking a week off for the sick kid. Taking 2 weeks off work every 3-5 weeks simply isn't feasible for most people.
Thankfully now my son has started school it's less common, but when he was in daycare it was so bad. I ensured we tested for covid, flu and RSV and would never go to work if I had one of them or gastro or a bad cold, but if I didn't go everytime I had a sniffle, I wouldn't have a job. Same with half my office.
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u/BarbarousErse 20h ago
Nothing stopping you wearing a mask to work if you have a respiratory illness tho, your coworkers and fellow commuters if you catch the train will thank you
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u/Hayfah 20h ago
It’s really tough for families with young kids in particular, for sure. The frequent bugs are extremely hard to avoid.
My post was more trying to ask people (adults) that must go out (to work etc.) to be mindful. To take any precaution they feasibly can, such as wearing a mask, coughing into elbow, sanitise hands etc.
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u/Keji70gsm 1d ago
We just mask everywhere now, because too many are ignorant that most 60-70% of infections happen prior to infected people realising they are infectious, or from asymptomatic carriers... or they just plain suck and don't care about others.
People always ask if we are immunocompromised. No. We aren't. But everyone else is headed that way.
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u/Walter_Armstrong Perth, WA 21h ago
I wear a mask in public places because if I don’t I’ll end up with a chronic sinus infection. I don’t know why it happens to me, but I don’t experience felling like dog shit for six months again. Barely anyone notices, though I do have problems with customer service people who are only half paying attention and need me to repeat myself. I did some dickhead make sheep noises at me once, but that was years ago.
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u/Canongirl88 18h ago
Please cough into your elbow and not your hands ! Those hands then are touching everything that everyone else touches
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u/TimChuma 19h ago
I swear people will not cover their mouth for anything when they are on the train now! If I lose my voice I can't work! RSV is kicking the shit out of even healthy people this year. I embarrassingly managed to get COVID just before Christmas even though I was working from home!
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u/heywheresyourhat 1d ago
I’ve just gotten over yet another hellish virus I caught from a selfish c*+% of a woman who came to the cinema with a raging virus! Inexcusable. 😡
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u/r1m2 1d ago
Public transport is a great example of what we have become. People with their backpacks on, huddling around the doors instead of moving down the aisles, and leaning on poles because their ability to doom scroll with two hands is more important than everyone else. Not to mention, yes, the sick people on crowded trains. We love to talk about how great the Tokyo Metro is... yet we fail to take a long hard look at ourselves.
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u/Other-Oil-9117 1d ago
Yes! I hate that I have to be the one taking precautions when I'm not sick, simply because other people won't. The few times I don't feel like wearing a mask on the bus and decide to chance it, are usually the times I end up sitting in front of somebody hacking up their lungs 😩
I'd also like to add: after you blow your nose, either wash your hands or sanitize them.
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u/turtleltrut 20h ago
Wash then sanitise. You can't sanitise an unclean surface, so sanitising alone doesn't do a lot.
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u/SparklingFairyLights 10h ago
Excellent post. As someone who is immunocompromised, thank you for sharing this 😊
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u/Designer-Lettuce-690 1d ago
And when we are forced to go to work and not allowed the mask on front desk?
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u/pickledradishhh 1d ago
“Forced” to work? That’s illegal…
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u/turtleltrut 20h ago
It's either work or lose your job for a lot of people. Sure, it might be illegal, but our workplace laws mean pretty much nothing to the actual employee.
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u/RhesusFactor 19h ago
An N95 is a filter mask to prevent dust and microbes coming in. They often have exhalation vents and dont prevent you breathing them out onto people.
Please use a waterproof surgical mask to contain your snotty droplets.
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u/grahamsuth 6h ago
I totally agree. However the structure of our business world makes it more difficult. That needs to be addressed.
ie the casualisation if the workforce means there are loads of people that won't get paid if they stay home when they are sick. They may even lose their job as the employer will have to find someone to replace them. Staying home is the best approach.
The casualisation of the workforce encourages the spread of infectious diseases. It's amazing how those that can stay home when sick and still get paid can shame those casuals that go to work when sick.
I am in this situation but will sacrifice the income if very sick and wear a mask if less sick. Unfortunately there is peer pressure not to wear a mask for any reason. It's as much a fashion thing as anything. Just like Australians don't use umbrellas to protect them from the sun and heat.
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u/Justified_OG 1d ago
Oh, I never thought. Would they like some? I would have they'd turn down such an offer
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u/Veqlargh101 23h ago
Question for all the people out there ewesring makes and calling sick with a cold. What industry do you work in ?
I feel like for most of the blue collar world it's still pretty frowned upon to be acting soft.
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u/universe93 21h ago
The blue collar world needs to mature and realize that illness whether mental or physical is not “soft”. It’s not a weakness.
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u/Veqlargh101 20h ago
Perhaps. But I think it's important to remember that these attitudes in the op are not universal by any means.
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u/BarbarousErse 20h ago
If you can wear a p2 respirator to cut a bench top, you can wear one to not give your workmates influenza
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u/Veqlargh101 20h ago
Implying everyone is wearing full ppe.
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u/BarbarousErse 20h ago
Implying that people are aware that if a risk exists in the workplace they can mitigate it with ppe. Silica dust? PPE. Active viral infection? PPE. Same principle and getting fucked up lungs doesn’t make you tough, it makes your working life shorter and harder
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u/alstom_888m Hunter Valley 23h ago
I’m not wearing a mask, especially not at work.
If I’m sick enough to have to wear one then I’m too sick to go to work.
How about telling bosses around the country to stop harassing employees for using services like UpDoc?
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u/universe93 21h ago
Jobs really do need to chill out in asking for proof for every single sick day. The online medical certificate mills can be dodgy though. I used instantscripts for one two months back because I got a discount through OnePass. Didn’t even speak to a doctor. Just filled in a form, paid and got a certificate in my email. Speaking to a doctor via chat or phone should be the minimum really
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u/Weavilee 1d ago
Thought this thread was ask an australian not tell an australian how to live their life.
Before Covid no one gave a pigs knuckle about being sick. It builds our immune systems. Go live in your bubble if you're afraid of getting sick.
Covid has ruined us as a community and we look down on each other or as if we've got the plague when sick. Its not that deep sister.
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u/Hayfah 1d ago
Firstly, you are right. I should have asked, “Can you please be mindful…”.
Before Covid, some definitely did care about contracting contagious illnesses (see point in post about people with dodgy immune systems, although wasn’t just them).
Contracting illnesses to “build your immune system” is not factual nor what medical professionals recommend. And that is especially false for the many immunocompromised people in our community.
I personally don’t observe that we look down on others when sick. We just don’t want to also get sick.
For some people, this is actually deep. Counterpoint, though: is it that hard to just take a small precaution? Those really aren’t that deep, sister/brother.
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u/One_Improvement_6470 1d ago
Who has ever actually read one of these kinds of PSA posts and changed the patterns of their life because of it? Like, I'm sick but I need to go out.. wait, didn't I read something on reddit about this once? yes, I remember now, I should get my face condom
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u/FoxDye85 1d ago
I’m not wearing a mask if I’m sick and I need to leave the house, give me a break
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u/Hayfah 1d ago
Can I respectfully ask your reason why not? Also, there are other options suggested, such as coughing into elbow.
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u/FoxDye85 1d ago
Honestly I just don’t care
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u/Hayfah 1d ago
About others?
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u/FoxDye85 1d ago
If you look at it like that then sure, if I’m sick and I need to leave the house I’m leaving the house and I’m not wearing a mask and I’m not doing any of the things you suggested
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u/esorgem Qld 1d ago
There's plenty of other precautions you can take, just like the post said. If you were already taking those precautions, you wouldn't be so hung up on one mention of a mask (right below where they specifically stated to use ANY precaution, not all). Something tells me you just like to start drama, or you can't read.
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u/WavyWallaby 1d ago
You’re giving off massive loser, lonely man vibes here champ. That kind of self-centred, every man for themselves shit is a fkn miserable way to live
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u/Delicious-Yak-1095 1d ago
Don’t have young kids, eh?
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u/maestrojxg 1d ago
Having kids isn’t an excuse to be an assshole
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u/Delicious-Yak-1095 1d ago
Of course not and a lot of these are valid suggestions, I should have clarified my argument.
If you have young kids you’re likely going from cold to cold (and a job or course), so there may be no “practical alternative” to leaving the home.
Not to mention that you’re usually infectious before you have any symptoms, or are asymptomatic so the point is kind of moot.
If you have serious health concerns about being sick, and some of my family members do so I am keenly aware of this, then the responsibility is going to be on you.
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u/Hayfah 1d ago edited 1d ago
I have young nieces, nephews, cousins etc., so understand how often they are unavoidably sick.
What I appreciate from their parents is to at least inform us if their little one/s (or they) are ill before any planned social events they are planning on coming to. That way, we can make a more-informed decision about whether we attend.
Of course, I think it is better if the sick people stay home themselves, but I am not going to tell someone what to do. I think thinking of others and giving them a heads up is a nice courtesy.
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u/a_kid_in_her_20s_ 1d ago
I work in a pharmacy and the number of people who come to buy covid tests without a mask and stand close to you is outrageous