With the flu running rampant, do you avoid going out to places with large crowds.

[Teresa in MO]

I am talking about places like a professional hockey stadium or a movie theatre. I have always tried to avoid these type of places when there is a lot of flu (both kinds) out there. We have 10 kids, 5 still remaining at home. It takes forever for the flu bugs to make the rounds of all of us. So, who avoids large crowds.

[Mom28kds]

Not at all. I'm not out a whole lot anyway, but if I want or need to go somewhere it doesn't stop me. I can't live on fear of getting something.

[regentrude]

No. Completely impossible for us. I am a college instructor, my classes have a total of 100 students, almost all of which live in dorms. DD takes dual enrollment courses with 150 students in the lecture hall. We can't put our lives on hold for the entire flu season.

[DarlaS]

Life as usual. But we are sort of unintentionally avoiding the library. We got a bunch of new books for Christmas, and we now have 4 kindles total (DS 9 got a Fire). We just haven't needed to go. I might make that intentional until flu season ends. We always get sick three days after a library visit. After a while, I put two and two together. And it seems so clean!

 

Every time I go shopping, I treat the whole place like it's contaminated-touching only what is necessary and making a point of NOT touching my face. I have my little Purell wipes in my purse, so if I need to go to more that one place, I use them in between. As soon as I get home I wash my hands.

 

I can totally understand why someone with 10 kids would want to hole up for a while though...

[ScoutTN]

Nope. Regular life with some extra hand washing, lots of fruit and veggies and plenty of sleep.

[KungFuPanda]

We do our normal routine. Once every 4-5 years we might come down with the flu, but avoiding it isn't worth staying home for months on end. I live between two major cities. People are a fact of life.

[Catwoman]

OK, I'll be the lone dissenter.

 

We're not living like hermits or anything, but I'm not intentionally going out into large crowds, and I'm doing most of my shopping at odd hours when the stores aren't quite as busy as usual.

[Alicia64]

My husband works for health care and they've sent around some scary memos. Yes, we're being careful. We're not staying home, but we're not looking for crowds to run around in. And we wash hands, use hand santizer etc. regularly. But, I'd say, overall, that yes, we're being careful.

 

Alley

[KungFuPanda]

OK, I'll be the lone dissenter.

 

We're not living like hermits or anything, but I'm not intentionally going out into large crowds, and I'm doing most of my shopping at odd hours when the stores aren't quite as busy as usual.

 

 

Yeah, but homeschoolers do that whether or not it's flu season.

[lavender's green]

I am because of a surprise pregnancy. :) I'm already exhausted and sick (of the morning variety) as it is. I don't need influenza on top of it, and it's no major inconvenience for me to avoid crowds, so I do. If I ever had, or wanted, to be in a crowded place for whatever reason, I'd do it in a heartbeat, though.

[SunnyDays]

OK, I'll be the lone dissenter.

 

We're not living like hermits or anything, but I'm not intentionally going out into large crowds, and I'm doing most of my shopping at odd hours when the stores aren't quite as busy as usual.

 

 

It's like we're long lost sisters, really... ;)

 

We're not holing up either. But we tend to do our shopping during the weekdays rather than nights or weekends. We're also skipping a couple library programs the next couple months that have a ton of kids. DS is playing basketball, we're running our errands, we'll occasionally get together with friends... but there are situations I would avoid.

 

Signed,

Your Resident Germaphobe :D

[Catwoman]

 

 

It's like we're long lost sisters, really... ;)

 

 

Signed,

Your Resident Germaphobe :D

 

 

I'm starting to suspect that we were separated at birth!!! :D

[Guest]

We don't stay away from stores, but I am a bit wary about going to church, only because I see people post on Facebook about how deathly ill they are, but 5 minutes later they post that they'll see you at church on Sunday!

[MelAR05]

We are avoiding crowds. Two weeks ago we made an unavoidable trip to Chuck E Cheese and, yes, the youngest got sick. :tongue_smilie: It looks like the flu is starting to decline here so maybe we can get out by mid-February. :D I'm not afraid of sickness. I just don't like it. If I can avoid it for me and my children, then that's what I'm going to do.

[Dandelion]

Nope. We're a bit more vigilant about hand washing and taking our vitamins, but it's not changing our habits beyond that.

[mlktwins]

OK, I'll be the lone dissenter. We're not living like hermits or anything, but I'm not intentionally going out into large crowds, and I'm doing most of my shopping at odd hours when the stores aren't quite as busy as usual.

 

This is me right now.

 

We don't stay away from stores, but I am a bit wary about going to church, only because I see people post on Facebook about how deathly ill they are, but 5 minutes later they post that they'll see you at church on Sunday!

 

This is so true and annoys me no end. One minute someones kid is throwing up, the next they are going to church or trying to set up a playdate. Ummmm...NO!!! We are reading our Bibles together on Sunday mornings -- probably through February. My in-laws and my dad come over to see the boys a few times a week. They are in decent health for their age (in-laws are both 86 and my dad is 77), but I really don't want to be the ones to get them sick -- especially with the stomach virus. If they get it while they are out somewhere, at least it won't be on me. We've had our flu shots, but I'm not chancing it.

 

I have to say that we haven't gone anywhere since Monday and we are so relaxed for a change -- and getting a LOT of school done. Our fall semester was very busy and stressful! Feels good to chill a little bit...

[Ali in OR]

We don't stay away from stores, but I am a bit wary about going to church, only because I see people post on Facebook about how deathly ill they are, but 5 minutes later they post that they'll see you at church on Sunday!

 

Yes, church scares me a bit this time of year. Can we please not greet each other or pass the peace during flu season??? We try to avoid touching people but it's not completely possible and we then immediately grab the hand sanitizer. There are some families that just catch every illness going around and often have half the family at church, the other half at home sick. Or send someone who isn't really completely well. Please just stay home until everyone is well!

[VeganCupcake]

No, we don't avoid crowds--but I don't have 10 children.

 

Church can be pretty gross anytime. I work with all the children at church, and, well, they're not particularly sanitary. :) And sometimes they seem to have some kind of communicable disease. We stay relatively healthy, though. There have periodically been announcements from the pulpit reminding sick individuals and their families stay home; there was one about pertussis last week, since apparently some people in our neighborhood have been diagnosed with it recently.

[AK_Mom4]

No. No point in avoiding crowds since I have one in public school and he is going to get exposed to everything regardless and then bring it home for us.

[Laurie4b]

No, I don't avoid crowds.

 

When I was immune compromised the only public place the doctors were uncompromising about going to theaters. They didn't generally want me out and about in crowds, but theaters were the specific no-no. The theater is more than crowds, though. You have people putting hands to mouth while eating, then touching the armrests. Who knows how often those seats are cleaned!

 

I'll go to the theater anyway because there are a couple movies I want to see since I'm healthy again.

[Melinda S in TX]

We are avoiding everyone. Dh is on chemo and Hannah's immune system (chemo ended 7mos ago) still isn't fully recovered. I run errands in off times. The children go no where. We have a friends and family that visit, but they know to inform us if they are sick or even think they were exposed.

[readinmom]

Had been avoiding crowds (except school) as much as possible. Thought it was going to be successful until we went to Target last night to pick up a prescription. Aisles were filled with hacking, sneezing people. Both dear dd and I came home with sniffles this afternoon, has progressed to full blown coughing and sneezing. I'm thrilled. We are now drinking tea like it's going out of style, along with the occasional neti pot. :crying:

[readinmom]

duplicate post. sorry

[Lady Florida.]

No, not at all. We all got the vaccine, but that isn't the reason. life goes on for us anyway.

[J-rap]

Like others, no -- but we do wash our hands more often when we return home!

[Katy]

Yes. But more coming from the perspective of moving recently, and we all seem to be fighting off our second colds in a couple of months so I'm paranoid it might turn into flu if everyone doesn't get enough rest and chicken soup.

[LibraryLover]

There is no way we can avoid crowds. We are currently in a major city, with gobs of commitments, and plane travel. I am washing my hands constantly, and one of my kids has chapped hands because of it. I am making sure we have lots of veggies and fruits etc.

 

If we get the flu, I hope we are spared the worst.

 

That's all I can do.

[Lisbeth]

We aren't big crowd people anyway...people in big groups are highly overrated. Honestly, I see crowds of people and think "thin veneer of civility." Yeah, yeah, I know. Snark aside, we prefer low-key, selectively attended,events and times. Even outside of flu season.

[Jenny in Florida]

Honestly, it wouldn't occur to me to stay home.

 

I mean, I keep my own kids home if I suspect they are contagious, so we minimize the risk of infecting other people (except when they have a performance, in which case, all bets are off). But otherwise, nope. Life goes on.

[Catwoman]

Had been avoiding crowds (except school) as much as possible. Thought it was going to be successful until we went to Target last night to pick up a prescription. Aisles were filled with hacking, sneezing people. Both dear dd and I came home with sniffles this afternoon, has progressed to full blown coughing and sneezing. I'm thrilled. We are now drinking tea like it's going out of style, along with the occasional neti pot. :crying:

 

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

Hope you both feel better soon!

[Parrothead]

No, we don't avoid anyone unless we are sick.

[Tess in the Burbs]

No. You can get super sick germs from the grocery store...it's where the sick people go to get food to go home and crash for a week!

 

I do have antibacterial wipes I use after going inside anywhere in public in winter. Kids too. I do wish people would stay home. Dd missed 2.5 weeks of gymnastics. She got sick from the sick girls coming. We stayed away when sick but nope, they keep coming. Throwing up, coughing, runny noses...they come and stay through it all touching everything. We literally were lysoling the gym in Dec but it didn't help. Still nasty bug going around the girls. We are apparently the only one who stays home when sick!

[*Lulu*]

Well we are avoiding crowds, but no more so than what is normal for us. I am not a lover of crowded venues and consider shopping while everyone is at work or school one of the perks of homeschooling. Places like Chucki Cheese or any indoor play area make me wince this time of year*, but we have visited local museums aimed at children and survived. (Granted I make everyone use hand sanitizer as soon as we leave and will not let anyone eat until we have been home and washed up with soap.)

 

*Okay, in truth Chucki Cheese ALWAYS skeeves me out. When Punk was little every time we would go in he would end up sick within 36 hours, so I made a decision to avoid that place like the plague. Bug has never even been. He can put in on his list of things to tell his therapist and I'll add a few dollars to the "future therapy" jar.

[Wabi Sabi]

I avoid crowds in general, lol! One of the perks of homeschooling is that crowd-haters like me can chose to do things at non peak times. As for flu season, I can't say we're avoiding going out just for that reason, but I'm certainly more mindful of taking precautions like extra hand washing and such.

[catz]

I generally always do stuff at non-peak times, just because I hate lines and crowds and not because of germs at all. Otherwise no, I'm not avoiding anything in particular. I'm trying to be a little more diligent about hand washing.

 

We had the flu in December though, so I'm feeling a little impervious now. Clear exposure to my DS when he had a friend over for a playdate here and his friend (and his sibs) came down with it the next day. So you can allow one person in your house and get it. I don't stress about this too much. We're generally not sicker than the average family. Before the flu, it had been a good year since anyone had even had a cold around here.

[Unicorn.]

Nope. Exposure builds immunity. :D I don't even worry about it. Except when I took ds to urgent care last week to get his foot x-rayed. We sat as far away from people as possible. Other than that, nope.

[Lady Florida.]

I generally always do stuff at non-peak times, just because I hate lines and crowds and not because of germs at all.

 

 

 

:iagree: It's the homeschooler way of life. :)

 

-We do things during the week when kids are at school and 9-5 working people are at work.

-We avoid most big places/events during school breaks.

 

That doesn't have anything to do with being sick, but is all about our homeschool lifestyle. I think that alone has us not coming in contact with as many people as we might. Do we avoid crowds? Yes, but not because of flu or anything else that might be going around.

[Kathryn]

No, we aren't doing anything differently.

 

When my 3yo was born was when swine flu was killing people. We did limit our outings more than I usually would with a newborn for a while, but we didn't quarantine ourselves.

[Ewe Mama]

We are avoiding going at as much as possible, due to Theodore's asthma. I miss going to church, but there are several other families in our church with similar situations, so we try to connect online every week for encouragement, prayer support, etc.

 

Dh does the shopping on his way home from work, so we play it safe. Amazon Prime is our friend. :)

[TammyinTN]

Not really, we are more diligent in handwashing and not touching our faces while out.

[prairiewindmomma]

We are on lockdown this winter per doctor's orders. Kids havent been out in public since late November. I go out to grocery shop or pick up takeout only. It is very hard to be isolated at this point but medically necessary. I hope rsv and flu season end in late mar as they ought.

[Tammyla]

We're not hermits, but I do avoid unnecessary exposure when possible.

 

I'll join the chorus singing :nopity: ..."If you're sick stay home, let your germs die alone."

[Julie Smith]

We do avoid large crowds, but we always do since no one in our family likes them. As a matter of fact both my boys would consider it a punishment to go to anything with a large crowd.

[Luanne]

OK, I'll be the lone dissenter.

 

We're not living like hermits or anything, but I'm not intentionally going out into large crowds, and I'm doing most of my shopping at odd hours when the stores aren't quite as busy as usual.

 

 

 

We are with Catwoman. We aren't staying home all the time, but we aren't going out where crowds are unless absolutely necessary. My daughter already has a cold and I don't want it to turn into something worse.

[MissKNG]

No but I'm not a big fan of crowded places anyways.

[dsmith]

I generally avoid large crowds anyway. I hate them!! We prefer to shop at off hours. I will admit to not wanting to take ds for his annual physical until flu season is over though. And if I see someone who is obviously sick, I won't get too close. Otherwise my routines are pretty normal.

[LeslieAnneLevine]

We aren't doing anything differently. DS (age 11) is good about washing his hands after we've been out and always before eating. I don't like staying home for days on end and we both love going to the movies. We also got flu shots in the fall.

[MrsBanjoClown]

We're not avoiding church or birthday parties or anything we normally go to. I did feel concerned when we went on our homeschool group field trip yesterday to a science center and there were 4 or 5 school groups there. We were hoping to avoid that by going this early in the year, but oh well.

[Mommyof4ks]

No, my dh works in an office with no windows that open, so even of we avoid places he would still bring something home, so we do not avoid going out. We do try to avoid people who are actively sick though.

[TravelingChris]

No. we have all had flu shots every year for years- children for their whole lives, and none of us ever get the flu. That includes me who is on immunosuppressants and does get bacterial diseases but not the flu.