Health Tip Sheet
Friends, Family and Public Places
Crowds and Public Places
When undergoing chemotherapy, if you feel up to it, it is generally fine to visit public places. Just remember your immune system is weaker than usual and it may be harder for your body to fight off infections. If you do go out, try to avoid situations where you might come into close contact with people who may be sick. For example, eating at a restaurant or going to a movie is OK, but you should try to avoid a situation where you are in a crowd. This is especially important:
- During cold and flu season, when more people are sick.
- During your nadir, the period of time beginning about 7-12 days after you finish each chemotherapy dose-and possibly lasting for 5-7 days-is when you may be at the greatest risk for infection.
To further protect yourself, you should wash your hands or use hand sanitizers when you return home to get rid of any germs you might have picked up.
Spending Time With Friends and Family
Your friends and family are a big part of your support system, and spending time with them is important. Keep in mind that unless a friend or family member is sick or highly contagious, most doctors and nurses agree that the benefits of spending time with your friends and family outweigh the risks.
To help prevent you from picking up germs, you can ask friends and family to wash their hands when visiting you. You can also consider keeping hand sanitizer at home and asking family members and visitors to use it.
