Preventing Infection at Home — During Chemotherapy

No. Isolation is not recommended for most patients on chemotherapy. Most infections start from bacteria already present in your own body, not from healthy household contact. You can continue normal daily life at home. The precautions that are genuinely useful — handwashing, food hygiene, avoiding unwell contacts — do not require you to cut off from family and friends.

Fever during chemotherapy is treated as a medical emergency until your team has assessed it. Your immune system may not be able to fight an infection in the usual way, and a fever can be the only early sign that something is wrong. Your treating team will give you a specific temperature to watch for and a contact number to use. When you reach that temperature, call the same day, including overnight. Do not give paracetamol and wait to see whether it settles.

The main risks come from raw or undercooked meat, fish and eggs, and from unpasteurised dairy products. Cook food thoroughly and wash fruit and vegetables before eating. Freshly cooked food is safest. These precautions matter most on the days when your blood counts are likely to be lowest — your team can tell you when those days fall in your cycle.

Yes. Healthy family members can visit without restriction. The risk comes from people who are currently unwell, not from healthy contacts. Ask visitors to wash their hands on arrival and to stay away if they have any symptoms — a cold, a cough, a stomach bug — even a mild one. If any visitor has recently had a live vaccine, ask your team whether a brief gap before close contact is needed.

In most situations, no. A mask at home with healthy household members adds no clear benefit and is not a standard recommendation during chemotherapy. Wearing a mask in a crowded indoor space — a bus, a market, a hospital waiting area — on the days when your blood counts are low is a proportionate step. Ask your team to identify your high-risk days so you know when this applies.

Yes. Outdoor activity is encouraged, not discouraged. Walking in fresh air carries very little infection risk. Avoid crowded indoor spaces on the days when your blood counts are likely to be lowest. If you feel well enough to go outside, going outside is almost always the right choice. Being active also helps manage fatigue, which is one of the most common side effects of treatment.

Pets that live with you are generally safe. Wash your hands after handling your pet, and avoid cleaning litter trays or cages yourself where someone else can do it. If you must clean a litter tray, wear gloves and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. Avoid contact with animals that live outdoors or that you do not know. Tell your team what pets you have so they can advise if anything specific applies.

Go directly to the nearest emergency department without waiting for a callback if you have a fever with shaking chills or rigors, if you feel very unwell or confused, or if you are having difficulty breathing. These signs together suggest a severe infection that needs immediate assessment. If you are ever unsure whether to call or go directly, go. Arriving when it turns out not to be serious is never the wrong choice.