Preventing Infection at Home — During Chemotherapy
You do not need to stay inside or cut off from family. Most infections during chemotherapy come from bacteria already in your own body, not from the people around you. A small number of practical habits — mainly handwashing and knowing what fever means — are what actually protect you.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Owais Mohammed, Medical Oncologist · Last reviewed September 2026
- Handwashing is the most important step — Bacteria travel from surfaces to your mouth, nose and eyes. Washing thoroughly breaks that chain.
- Fever is the sign that changes everything — Your team will give you a temperature to watch for. When you reach it, call the same day.
- Isolation is not required — Healthy household members are not a significant source of infection. Normal home life is safe.
- Extra care on certain days — Your blood counts follow a predictable pattern. The days near the low point are when precautions matter most.
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Handwashing is the single most effective step you can take. Most infections during chemotherapy come from bacteria already in your body, not from household contact. You do not need to isolate. What you need is a clear plan: wash hands, eat safely, and know the one sign — any fever — that means call your team the same day.
What actually matters most for preventing infection?
Handwashing is the most evidence-based thing you can do. Bacteria move from surfaces to your mouth, nose and eyes — the routes through which most infections enter the body. Washing thoroughly with soap and water before eating, after using the bathroom and after coming in from outside breaks that chain.
Knowing what fever means is the second priority. During chemotherapy, your immune system may not produce its usual response to infection, which means fever is often the only early warning sign you will get. Your treating team will give you a specific temperature to watch for. When you reach it, call the same day. Do not wait overnight.
These two habits matter more than most of the other precautions you may have read about.
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Which precautions are worth taking — and which are not?
You do not need to avoid your family. Most infections during chemotherapy start from bacteria that already live in your body, not from healthy people at home. Normal daily life with healthy household members is safe.
Reasonable precautions: avoid contact with anyone who has an active infection — a cold, flu, or stomach bug. On the days when your blood counts are likely to be at their lowest, avoid crowded indoor spaces. Cook meat and fish thoroughly, and wash fruit and vegetables before eating.
What tends to be excessive: wearing a mask at home with healthy family members, refusing all visitors, avoiding outdoor walks, or keeping your household pet away from you. These steps add significant stress without clear benefit for most patients.
Your team can tell you which days in your treatment cycle carry the highest risk. The precautions that matter most apply on those days.
Did you know?
Infection is the most common cause of emergency hospital admission during chemotherapy. The single thing that most changes the outcome is contacting your team on the day the fever starts — not the following morning.
Source: NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines: Prevention and Treatment of Cancer-Related Infections
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need to stay at home or isolate 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.
What does fever during chemotherapy mean, and what should I do?
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.
Which foods should I avoid during chemotherapy?
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.
Can family members visit when I am having chemotherapy?
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.
Should I wear a mask at home during chemotherapy?
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.
Can I go outside or exercise during chemotherapy?
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.
Are pets safe to be around during chemotherapy?
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.
When should I go to hospital immediately rather than calling first?
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.
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