Teachers, Students and Germs...

sitstill

I've been a secondary school teacher for two years now. During my first year, I came down with two quite bad sore throats and one case of a bad cold, my friend who also started that year suffered similarly. Then during our second year, we were fine. I've heard that many teachers tend to get a lot of colds and sore throats during their first year of teaching because they're surrounded by the kids and there's almost always some students who has one of these every week during the winter. Anyone else have experience of this or are my friend and I just more sickly?!

Trotter

Yep! I got completely run over by a bogus flu type thing during the year. I hadn't been sick like that in years. After a week or two I was fine again. Fingers crossed I'll be bogey free this year.

Would anyone recommend teachers to get the flu jab?

Toto Wolfcastle

In the Irish college I'm teaching in 4 of the teachers were on antibiotics for throat infections during the first course, and in the latest course another 4 are sick and my throat infection is coming back. I'm never sick so it's definitely to do with being around so many students with their evil germs!

brianthebard

Have ye tried echinacea or something similar?It often get colds or chest infections,but not when i'm taking this.

Fast_Mover

When I was on my five-week TP I was overcome with flu and a sore throat. Talk about timing with inspector coming in and stuff. Hadn't been sick in months before that tho!

littlebsci

I remember spending almost a whole weekend lying on the floor of my bathroom two years ago after I picked up a bug that was going around school, I think there was two other teachers laid up that weekend too. I've more or less escaped since though thank god. But seriously, schools are just breeding grounds.....ugh!:(

sitstill

Trotter wrote: »

Would anyone recommend teachers to get the flu jab?

Does anyone know how much this costs and do you just get it off your GP? I might consider it this year

forestfruits

I think everyone suffers in the first 2 years- every cold, cough, sore throat, bug seems to be attracted to us!!

I try to keep the windows open - gets rid of the stuffy air- its probably in my head but I think it helps get rid of the dirty things (the germs not the students!)

As well as that you tend to be wrecked in the first year of teaching its much harder work and you get run down and pick up stuff. And you tend not to use your voice properly and end up with a raw throat.

still end up with at least one bug/cold type thing a year- it was a vomiting bug this year- lovely- give me a cold anyday over that!;)

TheDriver

After a few years you will have a great immune system, never get sick now

Toto Wolfcastle

TheDriver wrote: »

After a few years you will have a great immune system, never get sick now

I never got sick before so I suppose I'm due a couple of years of it.

Drag00n79

I find cod liver oil works well for my immune system.

rainbowtrout

i usually pick up one bad flu a year, i've also got tonsilitis about every 18 months since i started teaching, i had never had it before and i usually manage to hold out until the midterm break and then give in to sickness, also managed to get mumps and scabies..... at least i'm contributing to my local medical centre it hasn't been so bad the last 2 years though, i'm becoming immune to the children!

kivers

not only do i get colds and flus from the kids but i find ive become very prone to warts on my hands... anyone else in a similar situation???????

clartharlear

People in Japan wear surgical masks when they're sick, so as to avoid spreading their germs. Good idea, and I never at all got sick, but it is rather weird to walk into a class room and be faced with 20 masked faces!
I wonder if I'd get some funny looks if I start wearing one when I'm back in Irish class rooms?

cenfath

I teach infants and I catch every bug going. It's mostly just the sore throats and sniffles, but I've had the winter vomiting bug which was scary. I've tried echinacea, vitamin C, herbal remedies etc etc. I suppose if you're in a room with 30 little people who aren't big on personal hygiene, it's fairly normal to pick up bugs.

kittex

Yeah, it's pretty normal. Even if you have been in one school for a few years and settled down, if you change schools, you can have a 'relapse' of poor immunity and catch everything going.

As someone else said it's good to keep the windows open. Also, if someone is in the staffroom coughing and spluttering, don't be afraid to discretely leave! Self preservation is needed. Personally, if I am in school under the weather I will lunch in my classroom, or stay well clear of everyone.

Do not pick up pupils' pens, rulers etc. This is a bad habit of mine and well, just think of all the time they spend in their mouths.

Do wash your hands well before lunch and coffee breaks.

Be aware that in times of stress, your immune system is weakened. You might want to make sure you take extra fruit or supplements in the month before exams for example.

Also, part of the reason many tecahers get such bad throats is because they're using their voices incorrectly and weakening their vocal chords.
Make sure (if you have to yell) you yell from the tummy, not the back of your throat and watch your breathing. You can get vocal training to correct this, in fact it was a one day special course on my PGDE, but it was so over subscribed I couldn't get a place

Personally, I find that if my fruit and water intake is very high, I'm grand. But I do catch a cold every time I take a flight longer than an hour

RealJohn

I've been teaching for three years. Before I started, I went into my GP and asked him if I should have a flu shot or anything because I'd heard that a lot of teachers get sick in their first year. He said there was no need so I didn't.

In three years, I've been out sick a total of three days and that was for a single bout of food poisoning. So I'd say it very much depends on the person.