What do you do when you are the only employee and get sick and have a large order???

If you absolutely have no help and you have no one you can refer the order to..... if you are still mobile, cover up as if you were going to the hopsital nursery, you can get a painters mask, wear gloves and keep clorox wips handy to continually wipe down everything. Just make sure you are very careful not to allow anything touch your cake ingredients that you could have touched with your bare hands or other bodily fluids or parts. Careful Careful Careful!

What if its a wedding and will take time and you are too run down??

As has been suggested it depends on how sick you are and how much you can 'cover up;, but basically just push through it as best you can.
Then when you get better try, try, try to find others near you who can help out.
Too bad I moved to CA or I would offer to help you

It depends how sick you are. If you are so sick that you are in danger of degenarating into something catastrophic like having a stroke, find someone to help you. If there is no one, cancel order. Explain to customer.
Best wishes.

I had my appendix removed on a thursday and was at the work the next day because I had a cupcake wedding fri and a 3 tier cake saturday, so I may not be the best person to ask... lol. I'm the only person in my bakery, but I work at a venue and the chef and FOH manager got their work done thurs so they could help me on friday when I came back. Without them I do have a friend who does cakes too and would come help me in emergency situations (I've had to help her a few times too!)
For me, I am just stubborn enough to make it work no matter what. Like they said sanitize and cover up and maybe try and spread the work out scheduling yourself some good breaks so you don't get too worn out. You can also put out a thread on here asking if there are any bakers in your area who can come help you out?

I can truly say that I have dragged myself to my shop to work when I would have called in sick in a second if I'd had a real job.

Glove and mask up for virus, cold. Get to the Dr. and get some meds for flu or infections. Maybe you can find a friend or neighbor to help out with some of it.

If you have a local technical/trade school with a culinary arts program in your area, maybe the instructor could recommend one of the students who could help out somehow (cutting out fondant flowers, mixing batter). Just a thought.

If you don't have the energy drink a 5 hour energy drink it works every time!!!

never been sick while decorating/baking but i ALWAYS scrub hands/nails with a nail brush!! soapy hot warm hot water. so keep a nail brush handy. you gotta get intimate with the fondant so super clean hands/nails!!

ugh what is the clean-up afterwards like when you are sick?

I am a member of my local cake decorating association, when ever anyone is sick the call to arms goes out and the cake army swings into action.
I have been part of the army at times and also the recipient of the help given.

It ensures a bride never gets disappointed.
I even had some of the ladies help me teach my classes when I broke my ribs.
So my advice to anyone is get involved in your local cake association if there is one in your area. the back up and support is well and truly worth it , also you get to meet a lot of great people that don't get sick of you talking about cake.