History Main / OutSick

** Sort of inverted the time the young Gabi was sick on a BirthdayEpisode and her ''friends'' couldn't come to her birthday party.

** Another time, Maria has a stomach virus and is sent to the hospital, so she can't do her job, but she comes back later that day.
** "You've Got to Be Patient to Be a Patient" is a song ''all about'' this: it's about how you can't go out and play while sick, so you'll just have to be patient. It's sung once to Big Bird when he has a lung infection, once to Maria when she has a stomach virus, and once to a little girl when she has the flu.

* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus''. Ms. Frizzle's class is frantic, because they're getting ready to do Broadcast Day and Ralphie is unaccounted for. When his mom calls in to tell Ms. Frizzle he's sick, they respond by coming to him and set up in his room [[WorkThroughTheCold so he can participate in the broadcast]]. After it's over, Ms. Frizzle and the class leave Ralphie to rest.

** In "Mom Tiger is Sick", Mom Tiger can't write invitations to a fruit-picking day because she has a cold.

** Sort of inverted the time the child Gabi was sick on a BirthdayEpisode and so her ''friends'' couldn't come to her birthday party.

** A third time Big Bird and Zoe both have colds, so they can't have a play-date (they have a "play-date by proxy" with Telly).
** A fourth time Gina was sick off her job so Savion filled in.

** In "Double Tibble Trouble", D.W. and Emily decide to be kind to Tommy Tibble and fill in for him as his twin when Timmy gets sick.

** In an earlier episode, a lot of the kids at school decide to follow Bart's lead and get an appendectomy, leaving only Lisa and Ralph to put on a band performance of "Stars and Stripes Forever".

** In one episode, Ralph Wiggum gets sick from drinking too much juice, so Lisa has to fill in his role in a sports match.

** Ron can't join Harry and Hermione in using the Time Turner in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'' because Snuffles the dog nearly tears his leg off. The others have to leave him in the hospital wing.

** In "Is There a Doctor in the House?", Mr and [[WomenAreWiser Mrs. Read]] are sick and can't look after [[NiceGuy Arthur]], [[AnnoyingYoungerSibling DW]], and baby Kate, so Grandma Thora has to.

A variation is when the character is not actually sick, but instead injured, [[LostVoicePlot wore their voice out]], mesmerised, etc. A common subversion is to have someone think they won't be able to do something, but then get better before they try it.

Sometimes it's only disappointing (e.g. they can't go to the circus) but other times, it's more important (e.g. the superheroes have [[BroughtDownToNormal lost their powers]] and the only one who knows how to bring them back is sick and can't do it), but WorkingThroughTheCold is ''not'' an option (either because their illness means they physically ''can't'' do the thing, they don't feel up to it, or they're not allowed to because someone else might catch the germs).

** Implied in one episode where Lola asks Lotta over the phone if she can play and Lola is seen responding in a disappointed way, "But I ''like'' germs", the implication being that she can't come over because she has a contagious disease and may spread germs.

* Though not exactly sick, Hermione was unavailable for part of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'' [[spoiler: due to being turned into a "cat" and then petrified]].

** In "Is There a Doctor in the House?", Mr and [[NeatFreak Mrs Read]] are sick and can't look after [[NiceGuy Arthur]], [[AnnoyingYoungerSibling DW]] and baby Kate so Grandma Thora has to.

** Zigzagged in "Arthur's Chicken Pox". Arthur gets the chicken pox and worries that he won't get better for the circus. He does, however, ''D.W.'' catches his chicken pox and can't go to the circus.

* In ''WesternAnimation/PeppaPig'', one time Miss Rabbit breaks her leg and ChaosEnsues as she has three jobs she now can't do.

** In an earlier episode, a lot of the kids at school decided to follow Bart's lead and get an appendectomy, leaving only Lisa and Ralph to put on a band performance of "Stars and Stripes Forever".

A variation is when the character is not actually sick, but instead injured, [[LostVoicePlot wore their voice out]], mesmerised, etc. A common subversion is to have someone think they won't be able to do something, but then get better before it happens.

** When you're out sick from school, there is a wide range of protocol for picking up or making up missed work, usually entailing a deadline for getting caught up and grade penalties for missing it. Extended absences for being sick are treated the same as being out so long for any other reason, with potential loss of placement in a private school, the possibility of being held back, or even legal neglect citations for parents and guardians. Many school systems make provisions to enable students who will be unable to access school for a length of time lasting at least a few weeks to be [[HomeschooledKids taught at home]].

Contrast Working Through the Cold (linked to above), FakingAnotherPersonsIllness, PrankInjuries, SickCaptiveScam, HandicappedBadass, BeneficialDisease, and PlayingSick. Sometimes invoked by the trope DiseasePreventionAesop (e.g. "Stay home so you don't spread germs!"). If SantaClaus gets sick, it can overlap with SubbingForSanta and SavingChristmas. Often overlaps with AbsenteeActor. See StrikeEpisode, VacationEpisode, and NotImportantToThisEpisodeCamp for other reasons characters might not be doing their usual. Sometimes overlaps with VetinariJobSecurity if the conflict comes from the fact that no one else can do their job correctly. Can overlap with InjuredLimbEpisode and RupturedAppendix and often overlaps with DeusExScuseMe, OOCIsSeriousBusiness ("It's not like Alice to be late for work! Oh, ''that's'' why!"), WorfHadTheFlu, ADayInHerApron, and DeusExitMachina. One type of LameExcuse is when somebody tries to fake this by claiming to have a medical condition to get out of something (usually [[BlatantLies unconvincingly]]).

* In a ''ComicBook/{{Tintin}}'' book called ''Tintin and the Castafiore Emerald'', Captain Haddock sprains his leg and has to be in a wheelchair, so he cannot go on a trip to avoid Castafiore's visit, which was his plan as he finds her annoying.

[[Folder: Real Life]]

** When you're out sick from school, there is a wide range of protocol for picking up or making up missed work, usually entailing a limited amount of time to get caught up. extended absences for being sick are treated the same as being out so long for any other reason, with potential loss of placement in a private school, the possibility of being held back, or even neglect citations for parents and guardians. Many school systems make provisions to enable students who will be unable to access school for a length of time lasting at least a few weeks to be [[HomeschooledKids taught at home]].
** Being out sick from work at all can be a serious threat two income and job security, making paid sick leave a big deal. It's not unheard of for colleagues to donate their sick time to colleagues who are in a tight spot because of personal or family medical emergencies.

Contrast Working Through the Cold (linked to above), FakingAnotherPersonsIllness, PrankInjuries, SickCaptiveScam, HandicappedBadass, BeneficialDisease, and PlayingSick. Sometimes invoked by the trope DiseasePreventionAesop (e.g. "Stay home so you don't spread germs!"). If SantaClaus gets sick, it can overlap with SubbingForSanta and SavingChristmas. Often overlaps with AbsenteeActor. See StrikeEpisode, VacationEpisode, and NotImportantToThisEpisodeCamp for other reasons characters might not be doing their usual. Sometimes overlaps with VetinariJobSecurity if the conflict comes from the fact that no one else can do their job correctly. Can overlap with InjuredLimbEpisode and RupturedAppendix and often overlaps with DeusExScuseMe, OOCIsSeriousBusiness ("It's not like Alice to be late for work! Oh, ''that's'' why!"), WorfHadTheFlu, ADayInHerApron, and DeusExitMachina. LameExcuse is when somebody tries to fake this by claiming (usually [[BlatantLies unconvincingly]]) a medical condition to get out of something.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/WonderPets'' episode "Save the Mouse", Linnie doesn't accompany Ming Ming and Tuck on the mission because she has a sinus problem which is making her lethargic.

** In the same book, Rincewind is about to be sentenced to death by being eaten by a tiger, but the tiger's sick, so he gets put in with a (talking) snake instead.

** Late in the manga, Uky#333; Kuonji is sick with a cold, and thus Akane, Ranma and Konatsu take over tending to her restaurant, to rather catastrophic results.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* Tendo Akane from ''Anime/RanmaOneHalf'' is cajoled by her Furinkan High School classmates to compete in Rhythmic Gymnastics against the devious powerhouse Kuno Kodachi. While learning the basics in the family dojo, Akane steps on a ball and sprains her ankle. Not wanting Akane to lose face at school, Ranma agrees to substitute for Akane in the upcoming match. Season one, episode twelve.

[[folder:ComicBooks]]

* In a ''ComicBook/{{Tintin}}'' book called "Tintin and the Castafiore Emerald", Captain Haddock sprains his leg and has to be in a wheelchair, so he cannot go on a trip to avoid Castafiore's visit, which was his plan as he finds her annoying.

** In another ''Deep Space Nine'' fanfic, ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/12723309/chapters/29014698 Lack of Imagination]]'', Garak is sent home from his job as a tailor due to having "Bajoran flu" (even though he's a Cardassian and not a Bajoran).

[[folder:Films- Animation]]

[[folder:Films- Live-Action]]

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]

[[folder:Web Original]]

* ''Webcomic/ThePetriDish'':
** In one series of strips, [[DitzyGenius Thaddeus]] does not show up to the lab because he has the flu.
** In one strip, [[BenevolentBoss Gordon]] comments that a lot of his employees are out with the flu.

* On ''Website/ProtectDontInfect'', one of the things they tell you to do is stay at home when sick.
* Mentioned on ''Website/{{Springhole}}'':
** In "Plotting, Conniving, & Manipulating- What it Is and What it Isn't", a hypothetical example is that a conniver wants to stop a treaty between the Redlanders and the Bluelanders and knows that Jessie from Redland loves dogs while Peter from Blueland hates them, so the conniver plans to get the two of them interacting to put Peter in a bad mood. It points out that one of the ways this could go wrong is if Jessie got food poisoning and "[spent] the whole day in her hotel room puking her guts out". It also mentions a flu as an example of why someone's supporters aren't available.
** In the LogicalFallacies article about the Just World Fallacy (the fallacy that everyone deserves what they get) mentions a hypothetical scenario where a woman gets sick and has to pull out of a competition, so her competition feels that they must've deserved something to get the lucky break.
* In the ''WebVideo/SuperMarioLogan'' episode, "Chef Pee Pee Gets Sick!", Chef Pee Pee is sick and unable to perform his cooking duties, so Bowser Junior takes over for him, with the help of [[KnowNothingKnowItAll Chris the Cucumber]].

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AngelinaBallerina''

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}''
** In "Is There a Doctor In the House?", Mr and [[NeatFreak Mrs Read]] are sick and can't look after [[NiceGuy Arthur]], [[AnnoyingYoungerSibling DW]] and baby Kate so Grandma Thora has to.

[[/folder]]

* ''Literature/MissBindergarten Stays Home from Kindergarten'' has Miss Bindergarten calling in sick with some kind of illness. Some of her class get it too and the book ends with Miss Bindergarten coming back and the substitute teacher coming down with the same illness.

!!Examples

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

[[AC:ComicBooks]]

[[AC: Comic Strips]]

[[AC: Fan Works]]

[[AC:Films- Animation]]

[[AC:Films- Live-Action]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:Music]]

[[AC:Poetry]]

[[AC:Theatre]]

[[AC:Video Games]]

[[AC:Web Original]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/WonderPets'' episode "Save the Mouse", Linnie doesn't accompany Ming Ming and Tuck on the mission because she has a sinus problem which is making her lethargic.

* In the third ''Film/HomeAlone'' movie, Alex Pruitt is out of school sick, which is the only reason he is the only person still in the neighborhood when the spys put their plan into action.

* ''The Accident'' is a kids' book where a little girl [[InjuredLimbEpisode breaks her arm]] and can't go to the zoo, but she [[AdventuresInComaland dreams she's at the zoo while under anaesthetic having her arm casted.