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There used to be this rule around exercising and illness that was also the unspoken rule around work: You can show up if symptoms are from the neck up; if you’re feeling it from the neck down, lie down (and stay at home). But with many triggered by a light sneeze (fair), does the neck-up rule still apply?
That can depend on who you ask (and who your boss and colleagues are), but if you really want to know, we went straight to the doctor’s office to find out. Meet Dr. Christine Palmay, who is a Toronto family physician who advocates for primary care, women’s health and patient education. We chatted about this very question, understanding symptoms and much more.
Give viruses the cold shoulder with immune-supporting supplements—all available in Canada.
But first, how many sick days are we entitled to?
Here are the minimum number of allowed sick days, as well as if the days are paid or not, regulated by provinces and territories. Your employer, however, can decide to give you more days and/or whether or not to pay you. (Of course, you may be entitled to a sick leave, which is not included here.)
| Province/Territory | Max. # of Sick Days | Paid Sick Days |
|---|---|---|
| Saskatchewan | 12 | ❎ |
| Yukon | 12 | ❎ |
| Quebec | 10 | ✅ 2 paid days |
| British Columbia | 8 | ✅ 5 paid days |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 7 | ❎ |
| Alberta | 5 | ❎ |
| New Brunswick | 5 | ❎ |
| Northwest Territories | 5 | ❎ |
| Manitoba | 10 | ❎ |
| Ontario | 3 | ❎ |
| Nova Scotia | 3 | ❎ |
| Prince Edward Island | 3 | ✅ 1 paid sick day for each year of continuous employment (up to 3 days for 3 years) |
| Nunavut | 0 | ❎ (not legislated) |
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Is it OK to go to work when you’ve caught a cold?
“The question is, ‘Is it a cold’ right? This isn’t ‘medical,’ it’s common sense. So, if you’re hacking and your nose is dripping, probably not. If you have the opportunity to work from home and feel well enough to do that, stay at home. But it can be a bit tricky to navigate; just be smart.”
The winter shower gels helping us tolerate the Canadian cold.
How can you tell if your sickness is something more serious?
“Can you differentiate between COVID, influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus)? No. As a community clinician, I’m not testing patients for COVID as the tests are expired. The only time patients get tested for this unholy trinity is when they end up in the hospital. I don’t want them to go to the hospital, so when people come to my clinic, it’s about their symptoms, geting fluids, rest, et cetera.
“I don’t recommend nasal decongestants because they oftentimes contain pseudoephedrine, and that’s not good for the cardiac system. You can buy steroid nasal sprays over the counter that deal with the inflammation, but ask the pharmacist for guidance. I don’t recommend eye drops, because your body actually develops a response to dilate more. If you can, take Tylenol; that helps with chills and pain. Anti-inflammatory symptoms can be treated with Advil. You can switch between Advil and Tylenol. Just ask for some guidance.
“But what you should do is make sure you’re getting rest, fluids, and electrolytes. Chicken Soup has evidence that it helps, because it’s nourishing. Use common sense.”
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Outside of not having a life (saying no to holiday parties, not travelling), what else can we do to prevent getting sick?
“We’re heading into respiratory viral season, which will be six months of a pretty nasty winter here in Canada, which is also at the same time as the travel and holiday season. We’re staying inside because it’s freezing outside, and that environment cultivates a petri dish for viruses. It’s the perfect storm just by virtue of the way we socialize and live. And, you know, we should congregate. We should spend time away. I think that’s one of the biggest learnings that came out of COVID: the precious nature of time. We were robbed of time. We were robbed of the ability to spend time with family.
“You’re putting a huge amount of effort into planning vacations, celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s, right? So, prevention is basically what our mothers or fathers told us: Make sure you’re sleeping, you’re getting adequate, balanced nutrition, you’re getting outside and exercising, and you’re washing your hands. All those things support the immune system. The unfortunate thing is, the one thing that we cannot change is aging. By virtue of aging itself, people are more at risk.
“What is the next step? Well, making sure that we’re also immunizing ourselves. Unfortunately, one of the evolutionary mechanisms of the human brain is to forget tragedies, so we can move on. We’ve forgotten what it is to have a polio scare. Now, get to remember what it is to have measles.
“I’m thinking about patients most at risk of that unholy trinity. Influenza is a yearly vaccine. COVID is now seasonal. I’m going to add RSV to that mix. In Ontario, we just had big news that the government will now cover the RSV vaccine. Ensure you’re up to date on your vaccinations.”
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When’s the best time to get vaccinated for seasonal illnesses?
“For influenza, typically in October. For RSV, when it’s available. COVID is also in October. The pneumococcal vaccine can be given whenever, and the duration is every three years. Guidelines can change. Based on risk factors, I think everybody should get the influenza shot. Vaccines have changed with COVID. In my opinion, I don’t want even a mild infection. Been there, done that. I’m not interested.”
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What about around your period?
“The uterus is an inflammatory organ. So, you may get swelling, chills and feel unwell when you get an immunization. That happens with other vaccines, not just the COVID vaccine. During the pandemic, people on TikTok and whatnot were attributing symptoms as ‘causation’ instead of being ‘correlated.’ So, no, menstrual cycles have nothing to do with getting vaccines.
“Now, if you feel like crap two days before your period or one day after, maybe you kind of ride the wave. It’s a perfect time for me to get a vaccine, because I already feel like crap. In any event, it doesn’t change the efficacy. It doesn’t change the safety.”
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Stay healthy, keep your friends and family healthy
Despite what a militant boss or anti-vaxx cubicle mate might say, listen to your body, check with HR to be fully sure. But, as Dr. Palmay says, use common sense and keep yourself (and others) healthy, too.