Recirculated Air and Strep Throat
In my previous occupations, I had always worked directly with the public. I sold shoes to grubby kids when their mothers brought then in shopping on the days they were too sick to go to school. I would be shocked how many moms went as far as to stop in for a fitting between taking junior to the doctor and picking up the resulting medication from the pharmacy. So I was down on the floor measuring feet while getting a healthy dose of germs. Yuck.
I checked in and out sick pregnant patients when I worked the reception desk for an OB/GYN office. Reassuring them that your OB doc is your primary care doc when your preggie was part of the daily retinue even though I don't understand why a head cold warrants an office visit even when you are congested for two.
Now that I work in a closed environment where the public does not ever tread, you would think there would be less opportunity for exposure to germs. You would think that, right?
As it turns out, that is not the case. Just today, two of my co-worker friends told me they have been diagnosed with Strep. On any quite night in the center, one can hear the sound of agents coughing and hacking.
I had more nasty lodge in your lungs colds since I embarked on an exciting career as a customer service rep than I've had since middle school. My poor lungs begin to suffer in November and don't recover until spring. I'm pretty pleased with my progress anytime that I am not hacking up colorful mucus.
There are several factors that contribute, in my opinion, to the spread of illness in our humble center.
Of course, relatively close quarters are part of the issue. We have 600 people in and out of two sets of bathrooms and one break room. We also have first come first serve seating. My regular desk which I think of as mine has another user on my days off. When I worked overtime yesterday evening, I sat in the only seat I could find at four o'clock.
Couple with central air flowing to keep us at a steady slightly chilly, plus the strain of talking for forty hours a week and you get a recipe for ideal microbial reproduction and colonization.
I am not one for antibacterial everything like so many people (topic for another post), I do believe in protecting my body from invasion from the inside out. I would love to say that I eat the recommended number of fruit and vegetable servings daily. Some days are better than others. I do fairly well getting enough fluids. Hydration is good. I also (mostly) take a high quality multivitamin.
Beyond that, I can do is stock up on the Airborne and suggest that my coworkers do the same.
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