I got a stack of midterm exams yesterday, and there were at least three students in the class who should have been home in bed: sneezing, coughing, hacking, putting their germy fingers all over the pages, smearing their snotty hands, and generally handing in a few zillion filthy and infectious germs with their exams. I put the batch in my backpack, and I need to grade them during the next few days.
I’m wondering if there’s any way I can minimize my exposure at this point, or if I’m stuck with getting very lucky as my sole solution to grading these exams without contracting some sort of scrofulous illness. Some thoughts I’ve had include:
as stated, give up, it’s hopeless–if you don’t catch something from the exams, they;ve sat in your backpack and you’ll catch something from the backpack at this point.
Microwave the exams, then grade them
heat the exams in the oven, and then grade them.
let them sit another few days, and the germs will die (is this even plausible?)
grade them with a bottle of alcohol at your side and keep wiping your hands in pure alcohol as you grade them
grade them with a bottle of alcohol at your side and have a few drinks while grading them which won’t do any thing to prevent contracting something but at least you’ll get a pleasant buzz.
throw the batch away and give the students all "A"s
throw the batch away and give the students all "F"s
If they’re dry, they’re probably safe. But if it makes you feel better, it wouldn’t hurt to wash your hands after handling the exams but before doing anything with your face or other mucous membranes.
There was a teacher in my high school who famously graded papers while wearing a surgical mask and rubber gloves. But only after leaving them out for several days and spraying them with disinfectant. We called her the “Lysol Lady”.
Crazy as a loon, but was actually quite a good teacher.
I’m a teacher, too, and have dealt with this same concern. If you handled the papers right away (collecting them from students, stacking them, etc.) and in the process touched a paper from some Typhoid Mary who’d just hacked all over hers, and then you touched your nose, eyes, or mouth, I think there’s a small chance you’ve already been exposed to the crud.
Interestingly, I very rarely pick up colds or the flu from students, so maybe the odds are pretty low. Excuse me while I go look for some real wood to knock.
I am not sure there would be much of an increment in the risk over and above what you already experience from being in their (germy, pustulent, and unhygienic) presence.
Even if you grade them as soon as you get them, you won’t catch a cold or flu from just handling them. It’s the touching your eyes, rubbing your nose after handling them (maybe your mouth too) that will get you sick.
So don’t do that. Keep your hands away from your face. Imagine they’re coated with…, I don’t know…, flu germs?
Treat anything else you touch, like the pen you use, as infected as well. Wipe off your keyboard when you’re done if you have to use it.
Never mind papers- find me a way to examine the tonsils of a small child that doesn’t cause them to cough in your face and I’ll be happy.
I use alcohol hand rub, gloves, disposable stethoscope covers, disposable otoscope covers and wooden disposable tongue depressors to stop my patients giving each other disease, but I end up getting sick from them.
Currently I have a rash, fever and joint pains from one of them. Fun.
Take the subway everyday, and be sure to lick the pole
Have frequent sex with random strangers (use a condom to avoid STDs)
Stop using anti-bacterial soap
Otherwise build your immune system above wussy level
Really?
My “assumed objective” was to answer the OP.
Which was to presumably strengthen your immune system against catching colds/flus/etc from random citizens, he/she might encounter during daily life, while at the same time protecting yourself as best as possible from other chronic diseases.
If a couple wears a condom during sex, do they not mostly protect themselves from STDs? And if so, are they not also exposing themselves to various cold viruses?
