For those who have had swine flu...

[The Backlash Cometh]

...have you noticed anyone treating you like a leper months after you got over the flu? I have one friend, much on the older side which is why I'm giving her license, who has uninvited herself from two holiday dinners she was invited to. And, when we went as a group to the movies, for the first time, her son arranged the seats so that she wouldn't have to sit next to me.

And, yes, at the first dinner she said she wasn't coming because she was afraid of catching the flu. So I assume she did all the other subterfuge for the same reason.

[hedgehog]

1. I haven't had the flu, but I do have a chronic cough from allergic

bronchitis. You should see people backing away when it sounds like your lungs are going to go splat on the floor in the next wheeze.

[Shagbark Hickory]

2. Can you really blame her?

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. No. But I had to talk myself into it.

[kestrel91316]

7. Anybody who's afraid of catching any influenza TWO MONTHS after the fact

either has major screws loose, or is woefully and inexcusibly ignorant of basic infectious disease principles.

[CreekDog]

25. Well yeah I can blame her if she's doing it months later

I'm not sorry for saying that's freaking stupid.

[The Backlash Cometh]

28. I'm okay with your appraisal.

Generically speaking, her behavior is extreme.

[endless october]

3. i admit to being a germophobe.

that's why i got the H1N1 vaccine. and the flu shot. and the pneumonia shot. if there were a cold shot, i would get that, too.

hope that you are feeling completely better from the flu.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. It's been TWO MONTHS!!!!!

Of course I feel better.

[endless october]

8. glad to hear it.

my initial point was supposed to be that if the lady is that worried about catching the damned flu, she should get a vaccine rather than avoiding you when you aren't even contagious.

that's what i MEANT to say. however, i am currently having a digestive problem that has forced me to temporarily give up caffeine entirely. hence, at the moment, i can hardly compose a grammatically correct sentence, much less a coherent argument.

glad that you are better.

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. I feel for you.

Hope you get over it quickly.

[endless october]

14. thanks!

[Speck Tater]

6. My granddaughter and I both had it. I don't notice anything like what you mention. nt.

[crispini]

9. WEIRDO!

Not you, her. Honestly, what an ignoramus.

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. I'm just wondering if it has something to do with older people?

You know, they may feel vulnerable.

[crispini]

15. Oh, you don't mention that in the OP.

Well, yes, that's a good theory, but still, TWO MONTHS? that's a little extreme. and shows a definite ignorance of the way germs work.

[The Backlash Cometh]

19. My husband even noticed it.

And he doesn't notice anything.

[crispini]

23. LOL.

Well, just laugh it off. People are weird!

[hedgehog]

16. I think it has more to do with where you get your information about H1N1.

My youngest is in college, so I missed all the hullabaloo when H1N1 hit school kids. I don't watch much television news, so I missed all the scary stories on Eyewitness News. When I made a trip in November and saw the early morning "news" shows in the hotel dining rooms, I was shocked at the amount of misinformation out there!

[LeftishBrit]

21. Probably.

Older people are more vulnerable to the seasonal flu, and it makes sense for them to be careful when there's a lot of that about. They are actually LESS vulnerable than younger people to the swine flu, but may not always be aware of the distinction, and assume that they are particularly vulnerable to any sort of flu.

[Electric Monk]

10. Tell her you've been properly leeched, so your four humors are all good again

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. I do need to find the humor in this.

Thanks.

[krabigirl]

17. Yes. I am just getting over it, and have lost my voice, but people are afraid of me, lol.

Hello, I haven't been contagious for over two weeks.

[Ms. Toad]

18. Only for the week following what the CDC believes

is the end of the contagion period (the later of 24 hours after the fever breaks or 7 days from the start of symptoms). The following week, when I still had a nagging cough, I had one person who was annoyed I didn't tell him before shaking hands (after washing them immediately before entering his office).

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. My neighbor who is a nurse...

...took a step back when I told her I had it. (By that time I was five weeks over it.) She claimed that a person was still contagious 21 days after the last fever date. I didn't ask her where she got this information, but, since she's a nurse, you just have to wonder.

[Ms. Toad]

24. Point her to the CDC website.

Of course, they haven't really tested it with the H1N1 virus - but the standard period for the flu at which your viral load is high enough to be a risk to anyone (other than immune compromised people) is 24 hours before the first symptoms through 24 hours after your last fever over 100 degrees (without taking meds designed to lower your fever).

To be on the safe side, the CDC added the minimum of 7 days (although on checking, it appears they have now reverted to just 24 hours after the fever breaks which could be considerably less than 7 days. When I had it at the end of October/beginning of November they were using the minimum of 7 days figure).

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

27. She just got hours and days mixed up.

[Dappleganger]

22. Sorry, but your friend is quite ignorant.

Your friend would sooner catch H1N1 from the grocery store than getting it from you.

[The Backlash Cometh]

29. Thanks.

I feel more human.

[REP]

26. Nope, but my friends are healthy and sane

I had it in June and was very, very sick (I've got immune probs due to diabetes and non-diabetic kidney disease plus I'm
asthmatic). Once I was able to leave the house, I was still making awful noises but my friends were glad to see me and were nice about the sounds I made!

[The Backlash Cometh]

30. Good friends.

You're blessed.

If I may be so bold to ask, why is diabetes on the high risk group for swine flu?