Will I Catch the Flu if I Drank from My Cousin's Bottle?

Relax. Chill!

Unless there are a whole lot of relevant details you are not telling us, like the water bottle being used as turpentine storage in the garage, you’ll be fine. You didn’t mention an obvious off taste, so you basically drank water from someone else’s bottle, which won’t harm you.

Contagious Diseases and Your Immune System

If the person is sick with any disease that is communicable, you may get infected. Avoid further contact and maintain a safe distance.

When you say your cousin is sick, do you mean with Covid or something like the flu or measles? All those things are contagious, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you will catch them. That will depend on your immune system. There’s a good chance you won’t catch whatever she has, but just eat sensibly, keep up your fluid intake, and if you do catch whatever she has, then do what is necessary to get better again soon.

Vaccination and Protection

That depends on whether you have been vaccinated against the specific virus she has. Your best choice is to check your vaccination status. If she has Covid-19 and you were to start the Covid-19 vaccination immediately, it would probably make the disease less severe but not prevent it.

Other Causes and Transmission

Sick, what sort of sick? Has she got measles? If you have already had this disease, it is unlikely you will get it again. If she has drunk something she is allergic to, and you are not allergic, you will not get ill. If she has food poisoning, and she transferred a morsel of the food to the cup, then you too could get sick. If she has a cold, then it depends on whether your immune system is strong enough to fight off the cold virus. I had chemotherapy and was sick quite a lot, but there was no chance of me passing that on. ‘Really, sick’ is too nebulous a term, and you need to get more specific.

Conclusion

To sum up, while it is always a good idea to be cautious, there is little reason to panic if you did drink from your cousin’s bottle. Check your vaccination status and stay alert to the specifics of your cousin’s condition. Take care, and stay healthy!