by Laurie Childree

Created on: January 06, 2008   Last Updated: June 09, 2009

Knowing when to stay home with a cold is more important than you think. Not as many people as you would like actually stay home with their colds when they should. The amount of people that go to work each year with colds and flu is amazing. Look around you and you will see people in offices with tissues hidden in their hand when you walk in. When you go to a restaurant you will see a server trying to hide the fact they can't stand by leaning against a wall to perform their work.

Food Service Industry

Working in a restaurant or any other portion of the food service industry and going to work with a cold literally makes you a walking health violation. It is a violation of the health codes in most if not all states and besides no one wants to eat something that you have sneezed on. As a server it will cost you a portion of your income. Some customers will not tip for the slower service and other will walk out before they risk catching your cold.

Working with Children

Working with children is another good place to stay home with a cold. Children share everything (remember we teach them that is good manners), unfortunately germs are included in this sharing. No matter how often you tell them to wash their hands they still grab things and stick them in their mouths.

It is a good idea to stay home with a cold if you work in any capacity that will bring you in contact with the public. Working in close contact with the public increases the chances of spreading germs around. No one wants to remember their outing by getting sick.

Symptoms

When running a fever you should stay home. If you have trouble breathing or are getting dizzy when you sit or stand you should stay home and call your doctor.

Doctor Orders Rest

If you have been to the doctor and been told to rest you should stay home. No matter how easy you may consider you job to be there will be little chance for actual rest at work. There is no cure for a cold; you can only rest and treat the symptoms.

Controlled Environments

When working in a controlled environment it is a good idea to stay home with your cold. Controlled environments are controlled for a reason. There are things there that have to be dealt with in a certain manner to get desired results; coughing and sneezing on slides and specimens can change the outcome of test results.

Heath Care Facilities

When working in a hospital or other health care facility you should stay home when you have a cold. If you work in an elderly care facility you put the residents at risk by working with a cold. The elderly are more vulnerable to severe side effects from the common cold. They may miss you while you are out but they will appreciate not being exposed to your germs.

Using common sense when you have a cold will tell you when to stay home. Resting will get you well; going to work and spreading your germs will not. As a general rule working with food or in close contact with the public is a good time to stay home with your cold. Not everyone is aware of what they are doing at all times and the spread of germs is fairly easy even with attention to detail.

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