Here come the bug!

[Southernmiss]

Is it ok to spray Lysol on a computer mouse and keyboard? We share a desktop, and that is a huge worry. Though I have parked a large bottle of hand sanitizer right next to the keyboard, hopefully it will remind me to not touch my face!

Dmil gave us promotional spray hand sanitizer sticks. Haven't seen them in stores, but I would use those on surfaces, too.

 

[maxiesmom]

I agree. If the OP's family member is not high risk, they may not be able to get it.

Family member is high risk too. They were just on the news this morning stating it was a good idea to get it as a preventative if you have been exposed.

 

[Christine]

Family member is high risk too. They were just on the news this morning stating it was a good idea to get it as a preventative if you have been exposed.

What I would not do is go to an urgent care/clinic/doctor's office while well in order to get a prescription for Tamiflu. Those places are teeming with infection and if you were well going into one, you would not be coming out!

Hopefully, your family member can just call and get the prescription.

 

[Southernmiss]

What I would not do is go to an urgent care/clinic/doctor's office while well in order to get a prescription for Tamiflu. Those places are teeming with infection and if you were well going into one, you would not be coming out!

Hopefully, your family member can just call and get the prescription.

I walked into Walgreens yesterday looking for a non medicinal item. When I didn't find it, I started walking around the store looking for elderberry syrup. I internally reminded myself that I was crazy as a well person wandering around a pharmacy looking for a product I didn't need right away with rampant flu and yuck going around.

I held my breath and quickly left the store. Lol

I hand sanitized as soon as I got in the car.

 

[maxaroni]

Ugh, this flu season is scaring me a bit. We try and avoid doctors, urgent cares, ERs during flu season. If we have absolutely no choice, we go with lots of crossed fingers. DS’s girlfriend is having a heart procedure (cath lab I think) Monday and just thinking of DS walking in the hospital scares me. Hopefully, he will be in areas that are a bit removed from where contagious people would be. Don’t know where the waiting room is in this hospital, so a bit nervous. Also, DH has a lower back ache that he thinks *may* be a kidney infection. He called his doctors office late yesterday to see if they would prescribe an antibiotic over the phone. The staff was gone and a doctor called him back but not his doctor. He was told to go to an urgent care or ER for a urine culture. He said no, not happening. He will call Monday to see if his own doctor will, if he’s not feeling better. If not, and he gets worse, he will go to urgent care first thing in the morning and hopefully avoid as many people as he can. He’s 66 and being older he’s a bit nervous. We’ve all had flu shots.

 

[maxaroni]

I walked into Walgreens yesterday looking for a non medicinal item. When I didn't find it, I started walking around the store looking for elderberry syrup. I internally reminded myself that I was crazy as a well person wandering around a pharmacy looking for a product I didn't need right away with rampant flu and yuck going around.

I held my breath and quickly left the store. Lol

I hand sanitized as soon as I got in the car.

I hear ya. DH needs to renew his passport and in need of a photo. Around here CVS & Walgreens are big for photos and that was not going to happen. He found a Fed Ex store does them and went there. If needing a pharmacy it’s one thing, but avoid at all costs now.

 

[wenrob]

Lock the door. Don’t let them in. Kidding. Kinda.

Despite my best efforts I wound up with the flu my kids brought home. It was brutal. There are three days that are very fuzzy for me. That said, DH and older DD seem to have escaped it. The perks of long hours and not being the main caretaker. I’m pretty sure they got me before symptoms. Lysol wipes, washing hands, don’t touch your face and avoid grade/middle school kids.

 

[lifesavacation]

My son nearly died from complications of the flu a few years ago so it's not something I take casually anymore.

DH got sick with the flu a few weeks ago. I isolated him in an upstairs bedroom and he had his own bathroom. I sanitized and resanitized every surface I could think of that he may have touched. Bought medical masks and had him wear those when he left the bedroom. I left a bottle of sanitizer by the door of the bedroom and asked him to sanitize his hands before he left the room. And I left him a bunch of drinks and food so he didn't have to come downstairs if he was hungry. Nobody else caught it so for that I am thankful. Dh did not get a flu shot this year, and my daughter and I both did.

Our county is finally seeing a decline in the flu. It's been a bad season this year.

 

[WorldWacky]

Not to minimize what you are saying but I don't know if the deaths are any different than what we experience with every flu season. I guess what I'm trying to say is that deaths are usually a percentage of the total number of people getting the flu. So if the death rate is 5%, then if 100 people get the flu than there may be 5 deaths. If 200 people get it, 10 deaths. This season, the number of all people getting the flu is very high, higher than most season and approaching the 2015-2016 flu. So, it stands to reason that the death toll is higher also. I'm not sure that the actual percentage per population is higher though. I guess it remains to be seen if these particular strains are more deadly or just more infectious. Keep in mind that during the 2009 (I think) H1N1 outbreak, about 250 children died so that was a much worse season. Although we are not done yet...

I'm not trying to refute anything but more trying to keep myself from freaking out so I try to put these types of things in perspective for myself.

I absolutely get what you’re saying. You’re right, it COULD just be that this is a more highly contagious strain than in the past. It could also be that we saw an earlier increase of people being affected this year than in the past and that’s why it’s getting so much media attention. I just don’t remember so many ordinarily heathy people reportedly dying in such short timeframes from showing symptoms and being diagnosed. But again, it could just be that this year it’s being reported more and not necessarily that it’s any worse of a strain than in the past.

 

[Kitty 34]

DH took me to the ER mid December where after one of those horrid nose swabs I was diagnosed with the Flu. Because I had already gotten the flu shot and was quickly put on Tamiflu I was truly feeling better within 4-5 days. I was sooooooo afraid my DH was going to get the flu the following week with all the family and our grandkids all coming in for Christmas but even with no major sanitizing our home or himself he lived thru the scare and didn't get anything. I was so glad!

 

[jdb in AZ]

I flew home from Florida today and was surprised by the number of surgical masks on the plane. The woman who sat in the window seat in my row put on surgical gloves and used disinfectant (Purell of something similar -- smelled of alcohol) and wiped down the tray table, the wall by the window, and basically everything she was going to touch. That's all well and good, but it wouldn't stop a sneeze or a cough from contaminating everything she had just wiped down. She also put something that looked like lotion up her nose.

 

[Christine]

I flew home from Florida today and was surprised by the number of surgical masks on the plane. The woman who sat in the window seat in my row put on surgical gloves and used disinfectant (Purell of something similar -- smelled of alcohol) and wiped down the tray table, the wall by the window, and basically everything she was going to touch. That's all well and good, but it wouldn't stop a sneeze or a cough from contaminating everything she had just wiped down. She also put something that looked like lotion up her nose.

She did all the things they are telling you to do when flying to avoid colds and flu. The tray table and surrounding area is the germiest on the plane and everyone should actually be wiping those down. I learned that a long time ago because mys on has a peanut allergy and found out that those tray tables are rarely cleaned unless the plane is having a deep cleaning. Flu droplets can live on hard surfaces for up to 24 hours so however many people sat in that seat before her and however many cough/sneeze droplets landed on her tray/surrounding area, she at least reduced her risk there. Additionally, I did read to swab either vaseline or neosporin in the nasal passages for the flight time only. It will keep your nose moisturized and minimize what can attach inside your nasal passages (which get very dry and porous during a flight).

Interestingly enough, the cabin air filters in the plane do a good job of removing the flu particles out of the air that circulates. But if you have a seatmate in front/back/or to the side of you, you may be doomed.

 

[mom2rtk]

Lock the door. Don’t let them in. Kidding. Kinda.

Despite my best efforts I wound up with the flu my kids brought home. It was brutal. There are three days that are very fuzzy for me. That said, DH and older DD seem to have escaped it. The perks of long hours and not being the main caretaker. I’m pretty sure they got me before symptoms. Lysol wipes, washing hands, don’t touch your face and avoid grade/middle school kids.

I knew when my daughter lost it before getting to the bathroom and I had to clean it up, that I didn't stand a chance. I hated that feeling of seeing in front of me what was most certainly coming. Honestly, when it hit two days later I was relieved to just getting the show on the road and getting it done with. The one up side was that she's old enough she helped take care of me when the tables turned.

 

[wenrob]

I knew when my daughter lost it before getting to the bathroom and I had to clean it up, that I didn't stand a chance. I hated that feeling of seeing in front of me what was most certainly coming. Honestly, when it hit two days later I was relieved to just getting the show on the road and getting it done with. The one up side was that she's old enough she helped take care of me when the tables turned.

I’d say I manage to avoid the crud they bring home a little over 80% of the time. They bring home a LOT of crud. Younger DD touches everything. I’ve tried teaching her the elbow thing, not to touch railings etc. but it just doesn’t stick. DS is a nail biter so he’s almost always doomed. Bottom line they don’t wash their hands enough while at school but I think they don’t get a whole lot of opportunity to do so. You’d think it would be easier when they’re older but the college campus is just as bad if not worse than a grade school one because if they miss a class it really sets them back. Same with older DD’s work environment, you have to be on your deathbed to call in. This place feels like a war zone in the Wintertime.

 

[mom2rtk]

I’d say I manage to avoid the crud they bring home a little over 80% of the time. They bring home a LOT of crud. Younger DD touches everything. I’ve tried teaching her the elbow thing, not to touch railings etc. but it just doesn’t stick. DS is a nail biter so he’s almost always doomed. Bottom line they don’t wash their hands enough while at school but I think they don’t get a whole lot of opportunity to do so. You’d think it would be easier when they’re older but the college campus is just as bad if not worse than a grade school one because if they miss a class it really sets them back. Same with older DD’s work environment, you have to be on your deathbed to call in. This place feels like a war zone in the Wintertime.

I wish I even had a theory on where ours came from. When it hit, none of my daughter's circle of friends had been sick. She said there weren't many kids missing from class. Maybe she was patient zero! I was willing to consider food borne illness until I caught it right after her without having eaten the same produce she was taking for lunch. Just glad it's over and hope it's a long time again before we deal with it. It had probably been 9 years since we'd had that level of sickness in our house.

 

[Christine]

I wish I even had a theory on where ours came from. When it hit, none of my daughter's circle of friends had been sick. She said there weren't many kids missing from class. Maybe she was patient zero! I was willing to consider food borne illness until I caught it right after her without having eaten the same produce she was taking for lunch. Just glad it's over and hope it's a long time again before we deal with it. It had probably been 9 years since we'd had that level of sickness in our house.

Oh, was that a norovirus that you had? My neighbor had that happen a couple years ago with her two kids. NO ONE had it and they were both 10 years apart so not like they spent anytime together. But they had both been out to the Redbox just 24-ish hours before and that's the only place they had been together.

 

[mom2rtk]

Oh, was that a norovirus that you had? My neighbor had that happen a couple years ago with her two kids. NO ONE had it and they were both 10 years apart so not like they spent anytime together. But they had both been out to the Redbox just 24-ish hours before and that's the only place they had been together.

I have no idea. Thankfully it passed pretty quickly and neither of us had a fever. But if it was norovirus, you'd think it would have been going around school or something. And you'd think it would have been so contagious that someone else in our house would have picked it up. But just the 2 of us. And none of her friends.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I wish I even had a theory on where ours came from. When it hit, none of my daughter's circle of friends had been sick. She said there weren't many kids missing from class. Maybe she was patient zero! I was willing to consider food borne illness until I caught it right after her without having eaten the same produce she was taking for lunch. Just glad it's over and hope it's a long time again before we deal with it. It had probably been 9 years since we'd had that level of sickness in our house.

You can pick something up from someone who's sick with food poisoning, even if you yourself haven't eaten the tainted food, generally when you're sharing a space with someone who's sick, as there are a lot of aerosoled particles in the air and on surfaces when someone's vomiting and toilets flush, etc. It happened in our family and it's documented in the medical record. (Easier to do when the exact germ and circumstances are tracked by the DPH, as they were in our case.)

 

[mom2rtk]

You can pick something up from someone who's sick with food poisoning, even if you yourself haven't eaten the tainted food, generally when you're sharing a space with someone who's sick, as there are a lot of aerosoled particles in the air and on surfaces when someone's vomiting and toilets flush, etc. It happened in our family and it's documented in the medical record. (Easier to do when the exact germ and circumstances are tracked by the DPH, as they were in our case.)

Interesting. I had no idea.

 

[Christine]

OP, how's your family member doing? Influenza has a relatively short incubation period so the "verdict" should be in soon, so to speak.