I Never Thought I’d Turn Into One Of Those People

I'm carrying Lysol wipes and hand sanitizer with me these days and I'm kind of surprised at myself.  I was always kind of laid back about the germ thing.  Until I caught the flu in January.  Then I started paying close attention to articles about the virus and advice about how to prevent it from spreading.  So now I believe it's wise to use wipes to disinfect things like door handles, faucets, remote controls, light switches and even the coffee pot.

When I'm away from home and have pulled a door open, or held on to a staircase banister or pushed some elevator buttons, I try to wash my hands or use a hand sanitizer.

I'm not doing this obsessively, mind you, but I'm doing it more than I used to.  The reality is that a lot of people are sick this time of year.  I was recently at Newark Airport and noticed a lot more coughing and sneezing than usual.  As soon as I boarded my flight I used wipes to disinfect the tray table, belt buckle and arm rest. And I offered a fresh wipe to the person sitting next to me.

I don't want to get sick again so I even put on a hospital mask on the plane!  I'm sure you've seen people do that.  You might have even thought to yourself how silly that looks.  I don't disagree that it looks funny!  But I decided this year I'd rather be safe than sorry.  I'd rather risk looking odd than inhaling someone's sick droplets.

It's the new reality.  Just like coughing into the crook of the arm.  And fist bumping instead of hand shaking.

Are you taking more precautions than usual because of the prevalence of flu this season?