Forum question?

[ResearchGrandma]

Bobbie - hope I caught you before you left for your trip. I carry masks with me when flying (OK maybe I have one in my purse/car most of the time). You can buy surgical masks at drug stores but I prefer the N95 mask that I buy in a box of 20 at Lowes. These masks come in 2 sizes - regular and small. Ideally the coughers should be wearing the masks, but of course this will never happen in public. (At the hospital where I work, coughing, sneezing patients or family members are given masks to wear as they enter the building). I have actually worn a mask multiple times on airplane flights. Usually my husband pretends he doesn't know me, but on the last flight the cougher was right behind me, and my husband actually put his mask on for a while. (I do take it off when the steward/stewardess is nearby in case he/she thinks I am a weirdo who means to do something crazy). I carry a little packet of lysol wipes and wipe down the airplane seat, seatbelt, tray. I also think that zinc containing lozenges (Cold-Eeze) or generic variety may actually work for me to help prevent colds if i take the the lozenge when I know I have been exposed to sick people. However the downside is that zinc may increase the risk of the brain plaques that are associated with Altzeimer's.

[amyc]

I love you research grandma :). My kids are teenagers and would just die if I wore masks on planes, so I carry a jacket and put it over myself like a tent when I fly. I just go to sleep and nobody bothers me. I'm not sure why that's less embarrassing for them, but so be it. I will use the masks later this month when I fly solo though.

[seekingcure]

I'm so glad you suggested wearing masks. I am going to purchase some to have on hand to wear when I have go to a doctor's office. If I'd had one to wear last week when I was around someone with a cold, maybe I wouldn't be fighting bronchitis now. I'm so germaphobic now that I refused to shake my GI's hand when he walked into the room at my last visit. There was no sink in the room and I asked him to put on gloves before I would let him press on my tummy. One would think they would do that without being asked.