Is Sharing Caring?

Sharing is not caring, is something that is not commonly heard. Despite it being an uncommon phrase, sharing can lead to diseases and infections that are caught when people share drinks, but what actually spreads them? The answer: saliva. 

The flu season that hit Bearcat Nation like a truck can be traced back to the water bottles people let so many others drink from, sharing foods, and even utensils. Sharing any of these things is an easy way to spread saliva and sicknesses from one person to another. Sharing doesn't just lead to one sickness, there are many different illnesses to catch from just sharing saliva. 

Diseases like infectious mononucleosis – also known as mono –  which is caused by viruses, spread through the saliva swapped by sharing drinks, utensils, and even chapsticks, according to the Nemours Teen Health. They can contract other illnesses such as Coronaviruses, Mumps, Cytomegalovirus, and others due to saliva, as researched by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A great amount of these viruses are described as  highly contagious, by the CDC.

This flu season had many classes at Paso Robles with empty seats and absent students. Many students reported that they did not continue sharing their water during flu season, some said that they believe sharing water is what might have gotten them sick. 

Many students reported that they share their waters with either friends or simply anyone who asks. However, peers also answered that while sickness was going around they stopped sharing water in an attempt to prevent sickness from spreading to themselves. Although students might not be aware that sharing their drinks can spread the previously mentioned diseases and viruses. 

In the future, Bearcats should attempt to avoid things such as sharing drinks, utensils, and other things that could expose them to illnesses transmitted through saliva. Things such as bringing a water bottle to school and using the filling stations, getting your own lunch provided by the school from either the salad bar or lunch line, and just avoiding sharing things that transmit saliva might help Bearcats slow the spread of future sicknesses.