Back then the Bug was a BFD.
Very true, because so much was unknown. I was working in a hospital lab as a phlebotomist at the time. HIV+ patients were in private rooms with strict isolation precautions and procedures. Any supplies you needed were in a cart outside the room. You gowned and gloved up before you went in and disposed of everything in the biohazard container before you left.
The dark joke among the staff at the time was they were on a restricted diet of pancakes and waffles, because that's the only thing you could slide under the door.