This is very complicated to answer. I am a doctor, and very rarely call in sick. Interestingly, despite seeing a schedule full of sick people nearly every day of my working life, I have very rarely, if ever, brought illnesses home to my family. Usually it works the opposite direction--son brings something home from school, passes it on to mom and dad. It is so strongly frowned upon that I would take a day off for illness, I really never do. Patients, particularly during flu season make comments about how we doctors are never sick, or at least seem not to be. Usually, if I do get a cold, it is very mild. I wash my hands about 70 times a day--no exageration. But, we don't have "sick days", we have PTO, so "sick days" are included with "vacation days", "snow days", "school holidays", "school improvement days" and my son's rare day off for illness or surgery (he is like mom and dad in that regard).