Posted By Granville Jenkins
Dear All

I have been meaning to start this discussion thread for some time and have finally decided to take the plunge (I have broad shoulders and can take any comments (or constructive criticism you may wish to throw my way!!)

So, the story so far!
I took two weeks leave which covered the Christmas and New Year period (the last week of December and first week of January), at the start of the second week (or to be more precise on the 31st December 06) I came down with a throat infection which then went to the head and totally destroyed the second week of my leave (and left me totally groggy for the next few weeks - having returned to work as I could not well start the New Year off with sick absence on my first day back!!).

It so happened that a colleague took the second and third week of the New Year off which meant that our paths had not crossed for a number of weeks (from 21st December 06 to 22nd January 07, however, it turns out that my colleague also went down with a throat infection in the second week of his leave (coincidence or not?).

A short while after this event I happened to be going through some old text messages which I had kept on my mobile for future information and there happened to be a message from my sister from the 4th January 06 hoping that I had recovered from my throat infection - I then remembered that I indeed had had a similar infection which had laid me up for the second week of my leave the previous year!

Well is this sheer coincidence or is there something going on within the office environment that needs further investigation - and that is my question to all of you out there who may have an interest in this area of occupational health and safety.

One further point I do recall that there were a lot of throat infections within the community as a whole around the time that I had my throat infection (first week of January 07) - How many of these people had also taken around 2 weeks leave and found themselves coming down with a throat infection in the second week?

How about this as a hypothesis - say there are some nasties floating around in the office air and that these nasties are just the right size and weight to impact into the throat as the air is breathed into the lungs, then suppose that all the time an infected person receives their daily dose of contaminated air the bacteria/virus or whatever are happily fed and don't annoy their neighbour, what then if the source of food is taken away, what will the outcome be?

What will the bacteria/virus do in an attempt to survive, will it will turn on its host and scavenge from the living tissue to which it is so closely associated with, which then manifests itself in physical symptoms e.g. throat infection.

Well that's my story - now its your turn!

Regards
Granville

Posted By peter gotch 1
Hi Granville,

I very much doubt that this is anything to do with SBS which is often linked to air conditioned buildings.

I work in a very old building. Until yesterday I thought it was 1930s, but one of the staff from the Post Office downstairs told me that he had read an article which indicated that we are only a couple of years from the centenary.

But whichever, definitely not air conditioned. We have extremely robust metal windows.

Amongst our 4000+ staff in the U.K. or even the 30 odd in our H&S consultancy unit major downtime since the New Year - this has affected us and the company across the land.

There has/have been one or more nasty bugs floating around the U.K. this year, circulated by, inter alia, air travel.

Flew [work] to Dubai early January - picked up a bug.

Had just about recovered when flew [family reunion] to Oslo late January - picked up a bug on the way back.

Not planning on sueing either Emirates or RyanAir, but the timings of when the bugs set in remarkably similar!!

Flying Flybe to Jersey on Monday via Southampton, so have two risk flights!

Regards, Peter

Posted By Makka
There is a nasty going around at the moment, that feels like flu, but also gives symptoms of tonsillitis (raging sore throat, cough high temperature etc). The other half had it a few weeks back (she had her tonsils out years ago!) it is now doing the rounds of her work colleagues who are mobile lone workers.

I would be very reticent on blaming SBS for this kind of thing. SBS is comparatively rare, although if in an air conditioned environment there is an increased likelihood of bugs being passed around due to the nice comfy temperature.

Posted By Steve Cartwright
Granville

It probably has nothing to do with SBS. It is probably more to do with hygiene. As you stated it was christmas and new year. Ask yourself this;

How many people did you kiss whilst wishing them a happy christmas and new year?

How many people did you shake hands with whilst in the process of wishing them a happy christmas and new year?

How many parties did you go to where they had a buffet? People sneezing, coughing all over their hands or over the food and then you pick your food up, you get the picture.

Did you know that people who do not wash their hands after going to the toilet contaminate the (and this is approximate) first 15 things they touch.

In a room full of people, only takes one or two to start sneezing and coughing and we are all contaminated.

Steve

Posted By Makka
When tested after closing time the average bowl of Peanuts on a pub bar will contain urine residue from approximately twelve people.... Not a nice thought!

Posted By Rob T
Peter G,

One of the main reasons nowadays for getting infections from planes is, believe it or not, due to the banning of smoking on aircraft!

In the days when smoking was allowed, the airlines used 2 tanks of air to ensure that it was sufficient to cope with the smoke. The airlines banned smoking, not for health sake, but to save the extra money on the second tank of air. Planes only fly with one now (except JAL who I think still allow smoking and one or two others - Ariana Airways let you smoke wherever you like on the plane but then you need to, just to get the courage to get on the damn thing!!).

Rob

Posted By Christopher
Granville

I had to visit my GP this morning. The waiting room was full of people demonstrating similar symptoms to yourself. From what I could assess they ranged in age from about 2 - 80. I suspect you had a virus unless diagnosed otherwise by a GP. I've noticed that ordinary people tend to get these viruses round about the same time every year. From what I remember of my workplaces, those who take extra time off during Christmas and New Year due to illness, tend to be regarded as......now whats the word I'm looking for?