BLESS YOU FOR STAYING HOME

This past flu season has been one of the worst that the United States have seen in recent history, resulting in many deaths throughout the country.The flu has spread to every state, including Florida, were a 12 year old kid died after he went to school sick. The bigger picture within itself is the importance of staying home when sick and not passing those illnesses to others. According to a survey conducted by Wakefield Research, 62% of American workers have gone to work sick at some point in their careers. What people need to understand is that it is not just about you or your perfect attendance record or the money, it is about the effects it has on others. Even though some people are tempted to go someplace sick, it is  really not worth putting others at harm.

As more and more people are packed into schools and workplaces, the risk of airborne illnesses increases significantly. When you are sick, you are affecting many others around you and this can cause them to get sick as well. The scary part about that is no matter how many precautions you take while at school or at work, bacteria always find a way to spread. Juliette Pouille, who recently recovered from the flu, “I think going to school sick is unnecessary and just too risky for myself and also my classmates. I would not want others to be negatively affected because of a decision I made” That one time you sneeze without covering your face or forget to wash your hands can be the instigator for airborne viruses. When you are most contagious, which is in the earliest part of the illness is definitely the best time to just relax at home away from other people.

Staying home when sick is worth it is because you will be even less productive if you go. Although being at work or school seems more productive than sitting home, one will not have the same mental or physical ability to perform as well. This is because the brain instinctively makes one think about their illness so this ultimately takes the focus away from the task at hand. This is definitely not ideal when taking a test or completing an assignment which requires full concentration.

However, because of the pressure and expectations from teachers to come to school everyday, students feel obligated to come in anyway, regardless of the situation. “I think the amount of work we receive forces students to go even when they’re sick so I don’t really blame them if they do come” said Senior Matthew Neubacher.

In order to fully recover and be able to go back to work or school you should wait 24 hours without symptoms before returning. Although it may be hard not to go anywhere when you have symptoms, it is in everyone’s best interest to just play it safe and stay home!