It is important to take care of your own health to protect the health of those around you, including patients. This includes making sure you are up-to-date on your immunisations. If you are feeling unwell, infections that you carry can have serious consequences for vulnerable patients. This includes having a cough or cold, the flu, and diarrhoea and vomiting. Chicken pox, shingles, and cold sores (herpes simplex) can also be harmful to vulnerable patients.