someone comes into the clinic with the worst cold ever, at the beginning of cold season. the clinic hasn’t seen their typical uproar of colds yet, and this patient happens to be patient zero. they sneeze all over the waiting room, uncovered, and their wet, spraying sneezes reach further than you’d expect. they keep rubbing their fingers under their nose and then touching everything in their vicinity. the minute they get up close with you, a nurse, they sneeze the messiest sneeze all over your face. no apologies, just sniffling to keep the rest of the mess from dripping down their face (and failing). they finally grab a tissue, and you think they’ll finally wipe up the mess from their face - they just sneeze At it and, after you leave, they wipe the thoroughly used tissue all over every surface possible - the keyboard, door handles, counters, etc…
*sometime after patient zero leaves*
you don’t notice until they leave how *Sick* the room smells. you finally grab a surgical mask to put on but it’s too late, your fate’s been sealed and if this were anywhere else, you’d take a sick day. since this is the contagion clinic, though, you just sigh and shrug, going on with your day without thinking about how many germs that patient sneezed into every room, and all over your face…
YES YES YES OH GODS YEEEEEEEEEEEES
and because they're patient zero, that means this cold could definitely get worse especially in that sort of place.
that nurse will not be the only one to catch it that day, others who were in the waiting room with the patient will also get it, and whatever other room they were in.
There's no escaping this cold and there's no doubt it wont be making its rounds more than once..
when said nurse does get it, the poor thing is constantly in a state of needing to sneeze. their red nostrils flaring, lips quiver, nose running, any off touch to their nose will send them into a fit that's not easy to cover or contain. They wont be getting tissues to their nose fast enough half the time
So of course they end up snzing on things too, counter tops, computer or ipad screens while they chart, door handles or elevator buttons. whatever you can think of its getting a dose of cold germs.
