4 myths confirmed: This is why you can call in sick even if you don’t have a fever

Thomas Rosemann, director of the Institute of Family Medicine at the University of Zurich, says that, to put it bluntly, this claim is “nonsense.” Except for diseases such as cancer that are not accompanied by fever, you may feel very unwell, suffer from a runny nose, cough, sore throat, or all of these, and still not have a high body temperature. “It is completely legitimate to call in sick at a time like this.” How quickly someone with a fever responds depends on the type of pathogen affecting the body and genetic factors. “How a person responds to a particular pathogen is largely determined by the immune system.”

According to Rosemann, this cannot be said either. The immune system is a very complex system. “The corona epidemic in particular has shown how little we still know about it.” Of course, fever resulting from vaccination, for example, may be a sign that our body is resistant. “But there are also people who have good immunogenicity and respond to the vaccine without severe symptoms.” The fact that a good immune system goes hand in hand with fever and other symptoms is also contradicted by so-called silent fever, Rosemann says. It creates immune protection in the body without showing any symptoms. Researchers observed this in forest workers who were regularly bitten by ticks and never developed Lyme disease.

Rectal measurement is not the only reliable method, but is considered the most accurate way to measure the body’s core temperature. It is recommended for use up to the age of five. From then on, most children should be able to hold the tip of the thermometer under their tongue for a sufficient period of time with their mouth closed. “You can’t go wrong with this method,” says Rosemann. He and his team took a close look at possible techniques for a “cash collapse.” “Testing and my own experience show that a simple, inexpensive thermometer works best.” There were large deviations in testing with other devices. When an ear thermometer was used, temperature values ​​fluctuated by up to 2.6 degrees between two consecutive measurements on the same person. The accuracy of infrared forehead thermometers is highly dependent on external factors.

According to Rosemann, this claim is true; because the immune system works better against pathogens at higher body temperatures than at lower body temperatures. Some studies also show that people who have high-fever infections several times a year have a slightly lower risk of developing tumors. This is interpreted to mean that a febrile infection represents a kind of training camp for the immune system. According to Rosemann, you should only take antipyretic medication when your body temperature is around 39.5. In most cases, moderate fever is defined as a temperature between 38.1 and 38.5 degrees. “I suggest you don’t get caught up in the numbers, but take subjective pain into account.” Anyone with a fever easily loses two to three liters of fluid a day, Rosemann says. “Antipyretic measures are vital when a child or adult can no longer be encouraged to drink.”