To think this is unfair? Covid related

I’m so sorry. People really don’t understand how vulnerable some people are,

It is not a small number off work with covid right now, it is a large number, and it isn't a small number at risk of serious illness, it is a large number ( and will be you one day) and again, even if it isn't covid, it could be flu, it could be measles, it could be something miner to you but devastating to the population if enough people get it at the same time....

if you are ill, stay home.

Yes I have read the thread and I am aware that a small number of very vulnerable people still get very ill and die from covid. Those people who are at risk know who they are. It's for them to decide how they want to manage that risk. Most of the ones I know are happy that normal life has resumed.

I have health issues that potentially make me vulnerable to severe covid and suffer from long covid. I do not expect anyone to restrict their lives for me.

We can't insist on healthy people isolating.

I am aware of and have accepted what's going on in the real world. People are not testing any more. There are no longer restrictions in place. Covid is a mild illness for the vast majority of people. Employers, not unreasonably in my opinion, expect their staff to turn up and do the job they are paid for unless they are too sick to do so.

That's how it is now. It can't be changed because some people would like to see covid restrictions in place forever.

Does your employer pay sick pay? Have a reasonable attitude towards sickness absence? That is usually the deciding factor.

Sounds like pressure from the boss has played a role here. That is who you should be cross with, not your colleague.

Its completely understandable that people go to work if they are at risk of not being paid or facing problems from managers.

Ideally no one should go to work if they feel unwell (whatever they have) and no one should be expected to work if they feel unwell.

have you read the thread? have you seen the poster who's husband died of covid last year? It is not a mild illness, it is a dangerous illness that most people only get mildly. But it isn't trivial.

People who are at the prime of their health and strength trivialise covid without realising that they will be in the vulnerable category themselves sooner or later, and be seriously ill or die from it

I wasn't worried about covid at all until I became ill, and had to take medicine that puts be in the vulnerable category. Now I am off work with severe covid, and have just been in hospital for a week, still signed off and unable to return to work for the forseeable.

I thought I had a cold a couple of weeks ago: I'd never had Covid and am fully vaccinated, so I went to work BUT I wore a mask during the journey in, and at my desk. The colleague I sit opposite was telling me that Covid was back doing the rounds and I remembered that I had a test left over in my desk drawer, so I used it.
Covid: I went home and stayed home (asleep most of the time) for two days until I felt better.
I know Covid is "just another illness" these days but I feel it's incredibly selfish not to wear a mask when in contact with other people if you are unwell, sneezing or coughing (and if you are not prepared to wear a mask you should stay at home.).

Your colleague was unreasonable to test, especially if the test served no actual purpose.

My place of work has made it very clear you are not to test even if symptomatic and I work with vulnerable people. You are advised unless you are physically too unwell to attend work you should still come in. We also have a very restrictive absence policy. Based on this I’d have to be pretty sick to not turn in.

it is not stupid, and it is also irrelevant, whether she knew what it was or didn't, going into work was stupid - and the Op would have had to test by now and would know it was covid anyway

You could have caught it anywhere. I have had covid twice and have no idea where I got it either time. As others have said, it is highly unlikely you got it from your colleague. It takes more than one day to pass it on.

We should be well past the point where we look around for somewhere to point the finger when we get covid. It is everywhere now and a mild illness.

People isolating with it will make bugger all difference.

Life has to go on. Most people don't test any more, so you can come into contact with covid at any time and not know it.

Employers shouldn't be expected to pay people to be off when they are well enough to work.

We would be angry that somebody came in with covid. They would be sent home. They would be paid.

Easier said that done if your work doesn’t offer sick pay etc. People have bills to pay.

We are expected to work if it is physically possible to do so.
Lots of employers don't pay for sick days and with COL biting a lot of people unfortunately they have to be selfish to keep a roof over their families heads.
If anyone is to 'blame' it would be employers expecting people to work when they are ill.

People should be angry at management, not their colleagues. Unless colleagues would be paid, not be judged for the absence, but still choose to work

Why did your colleague bother to test in the first place, that's stupid.

In an ideal world, covid or not, people should be able to stay home when they are unwell. In real life, it's not possible.

It really annoys me too when people come into work with something obviously contagious and spread it around. I appreciate all the reasons why they may do this - but I hate it nevertheless.

However - I'm not sure that the time line is right for you to have caught covid on Monday, and then shown symptoms and tested positive the following day. The incubation period is normally longer than this.

My vulnerable husband gets vaccinated on an increased schedule. He doesn’t produce antibodies the same way the rest of us do. They just keep pumping him full of vaccine hoping it will help.

There is no herd immunity like with measles or polio. The only way to protect people from diseases like Covid or flu is to consider your fellow humans.

Sometimes people need to be selfish to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. A good employer should have sent her home on full pay.

It doesn't matter whether it was covid or not, going into work with an infectious illness is incredibly selfish and stupid. I'm sorry you are ill Op, I hope you and your husband get better quickly

My vulnerable husband was fully vaccinated, caught it last year, and died from it. 🤷‍♀️

I am SE so have to go to work unless projectile vomiting, covered in blood or unconscious and I don’t test but I wouldn’t be strolling about boasting that I had it. I would sit at my desk subtly with some tissues and get through the day.

Would the colleague have been on full pay if she stayed at home?

This is what a lot of people don't realise. I've had 6 vaccinations. I had an antibody test after each one and didn't develop any antibodies. I've been too ill to have the last 3 vaccines but they would have been pointless anyway

People aren't going to take time off work especially if you work in a place like mine where they only pay SSP. I have caught it a number of time from work colleagues for this reason.

The people on this thread saying Covid is nbd are delusional. I have Long Covid and it has ruined my life. It is not a rare outcome, in fact 2 million people have it in the UK alone. And people with compromised immune systems like cancer patients can be seriously affected. Someone coming into work knowing they're positive is disgusting. And not even bothering to wear a mask? I don't know what's happened to people in the past couple of years. Caring about other people just seems to be a thing of the past.

Thankfully we're past the covid hysteria, but I think if you've got anything infectious you should keep your germs to yourself wherever possible. If your boss is giving you a hard time for not coming in, I can see why your colleague may have dragged herself to work.