Getting Sick in 2024

I woke up with a class and a sore throat today.  I used to believe that drug companies made sure to mask symptoms so that we would go to work and spread our germs so that other people would be sick.  They in turn would go out, purchase the same symptom maskers and also share in the pestilence.  Enter year 2018 and the first pandemic in several generations.  We were talking to our great grandparents who lived through the last one (if they were old enough to remember) trying to find a sense of normalcy.  We find ourselves now commuting online to work for a simple sniffle because we don't know if the COVID virus has mutated to something that we no longer have protection against.  A simple cough could be RSV and we work with people who had to re-enter the workplace after retirement because of the economy.  

Gone are the days when we would power through a small flue or cold, now we need to consider the health of others around us and we have conversations from 10' away when dropping something off.  We used to consider those who would stay home soft or fragile.  Now those who won't telecommute are considered selfish.  It is still hard for me to stop what I am doing for a small cold/flu symptom but some of my students shouldn't be exposed.  I could power through, but I worry about those who shouldn't have to be inflicted with my priorities.

As we work our way through this cold and flu season, try to consider others.  Political and ideologies aside; we have a responsibility to consider our actions and how it will affect other's lives.  Will it extend my class schedule, yes.  Is it that big of a deal to postpone? Not really.  I'm going to stay home, eat soup and work hard to find a make up time that works for everyone.  I am teaching what I love so it isn't that much of a hardship.  Stay well, I'll see you when I feel better.