| I enjoy meeting new people, but I don't necessarily | | | | too often and this puts an even greater strain on |
| want to exchange bodily fluids with them before | | | | work life balance. |
| we've been formally introduced! I was speaking at a | | | | It's not just my ill mannered delegate who doesn't |
| conference recently and during the lunch break | | | | know coughing etiquette, just walk down any high |
| someone came over to chat. I had no sooner | | | | street, or on a train. And you'll be exposed to people |
| swallowed a mouthful when they sprayed spittle all | | | | coughing in your face with impunity. |
| over my lips. I managed to stifle the urge to squeal | | | | We could cut the spread of illness, stay healthier, |
| and discretely wiped it away with my napkin. They | | | | achieve a better work life balance and save the |
| then promptly coughed over my plate. My | | | | economy millions by adopting five simple tips for |
| grandmother would turn in her grave: "Coughs and | | | | coughing etiquette and illness hygiene. |
| sneezes spread diseases!" We were always taught to | | | | 1. In Japan, if you have a cough you're supposed to |
| turn away and cover our mouths. A few minutes | | | | wear a mask when travelling on public transport to |
| later they commented that I hadn't eaten my lunch. I | | | | cut exposure to your cold for your fellow |
| did the polite thing and rather than tell them that I | | | | passengers. |
| wasn't eating it because the dirty swine had just | | | | 2. In China, you are taught to cough into the crook |
| coughed all over it, I simply told a white lie and said I | | | | of your elbow, as it's considered the only area big |
| was vegan. At that point the event organiser | | | | enough to catch the spray of the germs travelling at |
| wandered over, to be met with indignance from my | | | | such high speed. |
| germ ridden luncheon partner. She berated her for | | | | 3. There was some medical advice released in the UK |
| not having provided me with the appropriate dietary | | | | before Christmas that said that a virus can live in a |
| requirements. I don't know who was more mortified, | | | | tissue for up to 30 minutes, therefore once you've |
| her for having made a dietary faux pas or me for | | | | blown your nose, you should dispose of your tissue in |
| my white lie coming home to roost. A plate of | | | | a covered bin or down the toilet and wash your |
| vegetables (all they could rustle up at short notice) | | | | hands afterwards. My partner and my daughter both |
| appeared consisting of all the vegetables that set off | | | | had stinking colds over Christmas, we adopted this |
| irritable bowel syndrome, I couldn't bring myself to tell | | | | approach, but I fully expected my son and I to catch |
| the poor conference manager and duly ate them. I | | | | it. However, we spent two weeks together without |
| was wracked with wind for the rest of the day, and | | | | my son and I getting so much as a snivel. So maybe |
| all because some filthy executive doesn't know how | | | | there is some mileage in it! |
| to manage their own sputum! This person was trying | | | | 4. If you're one of those people that carry a cloth |
| to sell me their services but they can cough goodbye | | | | hanky in your pocket, then burn it. They're a filthy |
| to ever getting my business. This could be happening | | | | habit, strike disgust into the hearts of most women |
| to your business too, not only are you losing money | | | | that see them, and paper hankies were invented |
| from your staff being ill, you could be losing business | | | | years ago to supersede them. Who wants to shake |
| from your staff sharing their viruses with potential | | | | the hand of someone who has just put some filthy |
| clients. | | | | snot rag into their pocket? How I feel for the poor |
| I'm all for building up immunity, Norwegians don't | | | | unsuspecting cashiers who have to take the cash, |
| bother with all the rigorous palaver the British do with | | | | not to mention the germs, of cloth hanky carriers. |
| our baby bottles and soothers, and their children are | | | | 5. You can also cut the spread of coughs and colds |
| better rather than worse for it. But as adults we | | | | by washing your hands; before you eat, when you've |
| could really do without the inconvenience and stress | | | | been on public transport, or after handling money. If |
| of being ill. From the advent of home working, so | | | | you can't get to soap and water, carry one of those |
| long as you had the strength to hit the on button on | | | | little disinfectant gels in your bag/pocket. |
| your computer and connect to the internet, you | | | | If only parents, schools and employers could follow |
| were no longer will, you were 'working from home'. | | | | these simple tips and we could all look forward to |
| Human Resources absence policy is such that it | | | | less illness, saving millions on absence and better |
| makes 'corporate criminals' out of people who are ill | | | | work life balance. Spread the word, not germs! |