Worried about winter

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Right now I am having seasonal depression because of the winter coming, and this year it's worse because it will be the first winter since my mum was diagnosed with cancer. One of the side effects to the chemo treatment is having a bad reaction to cold temperatures (she gets this when just putting her hands in the fridge), and also being too unwell to go out, she'll need to be indoors with the heating on at all times. But what I'm worrying about there is I've heard that being cooped up indoors with the heating on isn't healthy, because germs in the air breed. So if someone comes down with norovirus, it will be unavoidable and so no matter how many times we wash our hands we will still probably all come down with the nasty bug; throwing up and having diarrhoea for days frightens me . My mum hasn't picked up anything so far, but I'm not sure if maybe the treatment hasn't affected her immune system, or because it's been summer. I am hoping the former.

Obviously if we find out the cancer has shrunk, then she will be able to have long breaks from the chemo and so will be able to have her life back, and not be restricted to her home. Do viruses really breed in heated homes where it becomes impossible to fight off the virus? For the past 17 or 18 winters I have not picked up any tummy bugs, but I'm not sure my healthy immune system will be able to fight it if I'm under one roof with someone who might be vulnerable to sickness and diarrhoea. I have a phobia of being sick, well, so does my mum. Getting colds is bad enough.

Not only I'm worrying about myself, I am also worrying about my mum. I don't want her to get a flu what could turn to pneumonia. I'm not sure if every cancer patient is at risk of suffering badly from the common cold, or if it just depends on what chemo different people have.

If your immune system is intact, you should be okay.

Open the window sometimes, especially on sunny days.

We, in New York, have much colder winters than you in the UK.

We get colds, but not more serious illnesses.

Just take normal precautions.

I just keep worrying about everything at the moment. I keep thinking that something bad is going to happen, like my mum being struck down with a cold that turns into pneumonia, or that my boyfriend will develop cancer as well. He smokes when my back is turned and he does not have the will power to give it up, and he also drinks and drinks; more than what I know. Dating a smoker is one thing, but I really don't feel comfortable that he's a drinker too. Since my mum was diagnosed with cancer, I have been super anxious about health in other people close to me. I have enough trouble coping with deaths of loved ones. But I can't stop thinking about it.