Teachers contract illnesses from students in the classroom

“this is my second year as an afterschool teacher at an elementary school. i remember being sick a few times last year but this year has been so much worse. 2 weeks ago i was having the worst stomach issues, i got better and was fine for a week, now i’m right back to throwing up and feeling terrible. how do you guys handle getting sick so much/how do u avoid it? any tips? submitted by /u/DirectionPure878 [link] [comments]”

“First year teacher here. I never ever usually get sick, literally ever. The last time I was sick before this school year was probably about 4 years ago with Covid. I made it though student teaching with no illnesses too. I have already been sick TWICE this school year. This time around has lasted since about Tuesday and progressively got worse. I woke up with no voice, a sore throat, but relatively fine overall. Progressively, I lost even more of my voice and my throat got worse with now horribl”

“Hey all. Started my year 2 now, I feel like I’m not allowed to be sick. My throat hurt like hell yesterday, principal told me to come if I don’t have a fever. Today I woke up with a fever and the principal said: “feel good let the parents know”. I also have a 2.7 years old baby boy who is sometimes well … sick. Two weeks ago he had a stomach bug and my principal told me I had to come. I have sick days for what? Is this how it’s going to be from now on? submitted by /u/Esquie33 [link]”

“In 20 years of teaching this is the first time I've caught flu. From my husband who catches a bus to work. I don't have time to be sick. Be genetically superior. [re: How do I stop getting sick!]”

“I just started as a early developing teacher, . I know this is not pre-k through high-school thing and i dont know how other teachers feel about that being my title but I also dont know where else to post. I work with infants to 5 year olds teaching them to be human essentially. By 5 we are working on hand writting and counting but right now I am in the infant to 3 year old rooms. I started 4 weeks ago and started working with the kids 3 weeks ago and in those three weeks there hasn't been a”

“I’m a 6th grade science teacher in a great district and I woke up this morning with rigor, fever, tight chest and shortness of breath, symptoms in bacterial pneumonia that I have had several times in the last two years. This week I stayed at work until 8pm every day trying to grade tests and get my progress reports done. I was suppost to have a day of students doing a prelab, but I instead used my shitty emergency sub plans of a coloring page based on science vocab and a logic puzzle. I’m really”

“I teach elementary. Last year, I got so sick from a flu that I had to take over a week off. I even threw up at school and was told to leave for the day (understandably). I just started this school year last month and I’m already sick. I’m so tired of parents sending their sick kids to school. I do understand arrangements can be hard to make. But so many of my students are sick and a lot of staff is sick. People say your immune system toughens up in later teacher years, but mine never did. Edit:”

“I'm a high school English teacher in Texas. My classes are doing a one-pager project over an informational text we read this week. I'm sick as a dog with some kind of upper respiratory plague. I feel awful and I can't even talk. But I'm afraid if I don't go in tomorrow, the kids will just cheat or not do their project at all. Edited to update: I decided for tomorrow I'm going to send a worksheet and stay home...we'll pick the project back up when I come back. su”

“I also only get 10 days a year and I’ve taken I think 4 so far bc I got the flu and also I needed a personal day off. I usually go a bit beyond 10 just like u 14 but I try to put myself first honestly ofc in a reasonable way. I don’t have kids so I do have less responsibilities so a few short checks won’t kill me”

“Does anyone wear a mask while teaching? I am bringing in an air purifier to my classroom. I need to cut down how many times I get sick during the school year. Any tips or advice appreciated. submitted by /u/buffaloexile1977 [link] [comments]”

“I get 14 sick days, 4 sickness in family days (like if your kids, spouse, or elder parents are sick), 2 personal days- the 14 days carry over each year, the others expire. I’ve been at my school for 5 years and have 46 sick days banked. I make a point to use the days that expire first, so the sickness in family and personal.”

“Hi all! I just began my first year as a middle school teacher in a school with only 7s & 8s. I have very severe emetophobia (working on it!!!) and want to know how often you’ve all gotten a stomach from kids. I honestly don’t even care about all the other sicknesses that will come hahah Please include what grade you teach!! submitted by /u/fakestever [link] [comments]”

“I used to get really sick just 1x/ year for my first 10ish years of teaching, but it seems like I'm getting sick more and more. Now, we made it through 1 full week of school and I'm already down for the count with a cold that set my throat on fire and snot is pouring out of my face. I hate to use my days so early in the year (and I'd rather take them for fun reasons, not sick reasons). What are your secrets? Please, I'll try anything!! submitted by /u/ilikebooks99 [li”

“Well, it is September 20th and I have strep throat. My mortal enemy. Back to school is starting to feel a lot like back to antibiotics 😩 Teachers, what are we taking to survive the germ trenches? Sincerely, A special education teacher who survived exactly 13 school days submitted by /u/Toastedbaguettes456 [link] [comments]”

“My school started back up at the beginning of September & with that has arrived the near-constant weekend sore throat and malaise. I’ve got a covid test running its course as we speak, but I’m sick of blowing through my own money to make sure I don’t get my friends and family sick in my minimal hours of free time. Masks and air purifiers are used as best they can be, but I spend pretty much every weekend of the school year from September–March battling symptoms. Does anyone have any advice o”

“I work at an elementary school in the front office. So anytime a student doesn’t feel well, they come to me. Today after lunch I started feeling lousy. There are 5 teachers out sick and a bunch of students. I was curious if you have a go-to elixir, powder, or what have you that helps your immune system? Mine is not very good, unfortunately. submitted by /u/Green_Eyed_Dweeb [link] [comments]”

“I just started teaching a month ago. Are y'all constantly getting sick? I work with elementary students and take precautions but I am getting sick every week. submitted by /u/BeneficialRhubarb727 [link] [comments]”

“I'm not used to getting this sick so idk what to do. We've only been in since August and I got sick in August and now in September. I work with one special needs student all day and apparently she's immunocompromised so | take off when I'm sick. I took 2 days off in August and 3 days this month. If I'm not there, this student falls on other teachers and I'm solely there to make sure that doesn't happen. I feel bad taking off, so should I still just go in but wear a ma”

“I had a student in class today who was coughing loudly (at first without a mask), had the reddest eyes I've ever seen, and kept bringing his computer close to me/getting close to me. I told him he should go home and get better several times, and I can help him over Zoom or in my office when he feels better. He said he didn't want to skip class. But then he didn't participate in class. I had students in groups doing an activity, and I asked him where his group was. He gestured to the”

“I’m a first year second grade teacher. Last Friday, I went home for the last two hours of the day (recommended by admin) and ended up testing positive for strep. I woke up this morning with some sort of stomach bug and when I’m not actively getting sick, I am so insanely nauseous when I move. I know there’s no way I can make it through a school day so I’m putting in for a sub. I feel so guilty missing part of the day last week and now a full day so soon. I don’t want my admin to think it’s going”

“Preschool also. A former coworker who I think had asthma was either sick a lot or when she did get sick it took her a long time to recover. I know she had been working with the preschool age group for a long time. I find I get sick once a year right now. The only children I work with are at my school. I used to work with kids outside of school. I’m sure I got sick from them also. I know when I get run down or stressed I tend to get sick. When I’m taking care of my overall health I can generally”

“I’m 4 years in and have two little kids of my own so we’re all just sharing SO MANY germs. I’m to the point where I feel the illness coming on, but very rarely get extremely sick. I’m betting in a few years, I won’t even feel it at all. In the past month, we’ve already had a stomach bug and some sort of respiratory illness with a fever go through my classroom. For the stomach bug, I just felt nauseous for a day. I’m getting the respiratory illness now and it’s hit my infant hard for the past wee”

“Same. I have an air purifier in my classroom, too. I have asthma, so any type of upper respiratory is immediately terrible and in my lungs. I also work with preschoolers, so there’s that…”

“I’m a first grade special education teacher and these kids are coughing and sneezing all over me 😭 It’s literally only the 5th day of school and I’m already sick with what seems like a cold 🫩 For the teachers who have been doing this for a while, is there anything you do in your classroom that actually helps you avoid getting sick so often? Anything you recommend I start doing? Because I cannot be getting sick every other week 😭 submitted by /u/snakegravity [link] [comments]”

“How many of you bite the bullet and go to work even when you’re feeling sick? It is our second week of school, I am a chorus teacher. Naturally, being sung at by all of the germy sick breath, I am already ill. It started as just a cold but this afternoon and evening I’ve spiked a little bit of a fever. Nothing major, but it was 100.6, so definitely a fever. It did go down with ibuprofen. I also have pretty bad laryngitis. My day tomorrow is what I consider a “half chorus day”, which basically me”

“I’ve never worked in a school before and have only worked at this school for a month and I’ve already missed 5 days due to being sick. Is it something I’m doing wrong? Is this normal? I have staff telling me that it is but I can’t shake how guilty I feel missing this much already. I feel miserable. submitted by /u/Cats_R_Friends [link] [comments]”

“Currently have a sore throat and some congestion but realized I haven't been sick in a very long time. For the first two years of daycare, it seemed like my partner and I would inevitably catch whatever our (now eldest) daughter brought home. Now, I might get very mild symptoms, or nothing at all, even when my kids are very sick. My partner gets sick more often than me, but the illnesses are less severe than in the beginning. Why is that? Did our immune systems need intensive retraining afte”

“This is gonna be my third year working with kids, i used to work in a school now I just work in childcare. I have gotten sick so many times, any advice on how to boost my immune system and avoid getting so sick? submitted by /u/reddit_user_500 [link] [comments]”

“Next week is our fifth week and I'm still good!!! This is also my 21st year so my immune system is pretty battle tested at this point. 😂”

“After 35 years I must have super-resistance because I (knock on wood) RARELY get sick. I'll get the occasional allergy crud from time to time but, unlike my first few years when I'd catch a bug once or twice a year, I'm solid as a rock.”

“I took matters into my own hands and got a sinus infection before I even reported this year.”

“8 weeks. The first cold snap doesn't hit until Halloween”

on the sofa with congestion....went through so many tissues!

“2nd grade teacher here! Just finished week 3. Got my first cold of the school year. First of many I’m sure 😷 submitted by /u/Josephs-41st-wife [link] [comments]”

“Been back. Couple of weeks, and I’m already sick. I teach 6th and the funk is already spreading. Anyone else fall victim yet? submitted by /u/EastAmbassador6425 [link] [comments]”

“Second week of school, already sick. I feel so ashamed, guilty, embarrassed for being out two days at this time. I hope they are ok. submitted by /u/JumpingJawas [link] [comments]”

“It was mold spores, for me. I did classroom teaching in a temperate rainforest, mold was in every goddamned crevice, wall, vent. I went to an immunologist who did an allergy test, then ran a lung DNA panel for a small pile of diseases. There was nothing wrong with my lungs or bronchi. So we treated it as an immune issue, and she had me try Singulair, to block my lungs from making an immune-based response. In two weeks, we cleared me of all kinds of lung issues and identified the better route, an”

“I’m a teacher with very mild, easily controlled asthma/allergies outside of school, but I’m having a really difficult time with my classroom. I feel completely fine when I’m away from school, but when I’m in my classroom all day I develop chest tightness/irritation, coughing, and some rib/upper-back soreness. It clears up completely when I leave for weekends/vacation. I’ve talked to multiple doctors and did a full allergy panel that came back negative for everything except cats, but their policy”

“This is why you have sick days! Also, newer teachers get sick a lot! Your immune system will strengthen the longer you teach. And if you’re worried that a sub won’t pick it up in time and others will have to cover you, that’s fine, too! It will happen so many times over your career (both being out or covering for a colleague); it’s a non issue. Get better 👍”

“Hi, I'm a first year teacher. I have come down with a bug, and I'm really nervous about taking a sick day this early in the year. I have the email with sub plans ready to go. I need other teachers to tell me I'm being stupid for being so scared to take off and rest. So i can have motivation to submit the message. submitted by /u/DependentDoughnut353 [link] [comments]”

“Nothing else to really say. I started feeling icky Tuesday night and Wednesday I went in to school. I was sneezing and blowing my nose so much it disrupted my whole class. I sneezed in my class that is mostly freshmen and at least 2 of them screamed. 🤦🏼‍♀️ I’ve been home in bed and on the couch since I drug myself through the door Tuesday night. Urgent care said no flu, Covid, or strep just a nasty upper respiratory infection. Maybe I’m getting it out of the way early??? submitted by &#3”

“We’re 5 weeks of summer camp and 1 week of pre-school in. So far the house has been sick 4 of 6 weeks and it looks like we might be starting sick week 5 as he randomly started sneezing and his ears are blocked. 1000% daily value of vitamin C, hand sanitizer everywhere, it doesn’t matter. How do you survive.. it’s never ending.. send help. submitted by /u/iMossy [link] [comments]”

“I get sick maybe 3 times a year. Not even a full month into school and I already have bronchitis. Now I'm starting antibiotics and hopefully I'm better next week. I am an assistant in the classroom so I typically catch illness often. I also got a low immune system due to autoimmune issues. No fun. How often do you get sick? Any tips on how to prevent? submitted by /u/PretendWill1483 [link] [comments]”

“Local media. Keep reaching out to state agencies, local ones, etc. Try to get a health inspector to come by. The students shouldn’t be in that building and neither should you.”

“Board of Health, both city and state, need to be called. So does Code Enforcement.”

“This is my second time getting sick in the past three weeks. I’ve only been back in school for 4 weeks. I’ve had a wild number of students come in sick this year. I legit haven’t seen my friends or boyfriend at all recently. I’m so sick of being sick. submitted by /u/MochiNosh [link] [comments]”

“Keep Kleenex and hand sanitizer everywhere and I would wipe down desks periodically. Plus keep your hands to yourselves. It’s going to happen, just trying to minimize it, lol.”

“I don't worry about it at all (high school), but that's not to say I do nothing to try to prevent it. I have the same room for all my classes and have a great air purifier right beside my desk which (I think?) keeps at least some, or maybe most, of the risk under control. just took a sick day today though with a nasty cold. What can you do. Really started hitting me midway through yesterday morning. Apparently it's going around -- lots of students and a fair number of teachers knocke”