To expect people ill with Covid stay home?

Well, evidently to spend time lecturing people on Mumsnet!

Oh the lolz re flu!
If you get actual flu you will not be carrying on the same...... If you do, you do not have flu.

Reading this while listening to someone cough their guts up on the train … if only.

@LuLightFest I dont, no. Do you have one or don't you work? 😀
I also don't work with medically vulnerable young people, but thanks for the stalk.
And yes, I will absolutely be teaching if I have cold-like symptoms. The children I teach also access their tuition when they have colds and rightly so.

I was just about to write this. When more and more people have to give up work due to long Covid then you’ll all wish you’d taken then necessary time off and taken the whole thing more seriously.

This is more directed to employers and the work culture in general. Best case scenario - you infect a few more members of the team and now everyone has a higher workload and there is more staff shortage. Worst case - someone gets Long Covid and has to give up their job (and many other things they love in their life). And the chance of that happening is 10% with every infection. And it goes up every time you are infected. It is not just a cold. I wish it was.

@Delatron How does one know it's Covid and not a cold?

This is complete nonsense. You can have flu with only a few or even no symptoms. I can’t believe there are still people talking about ‘real’ flu.

Agreed.

Nobody is arguing for a lockdown but we really need to review sickness policies and take Long Covid seriously.

I think people just have their head in the sands until it happens to them. I know I did. I also know quite a few women of my age (50) who have Long Covid so this is the demographic it’s affecting the most. Also loads of athletes. Being fit and healthy is zero protection.

Are people just ignoring how many on this thread have Long Covid? Does that not worry any of you? Or you just assume it won’t happen to you.

I was super healthy, running 30 miles a week. Never ill.

Well I’ve had Covid multiple times and recovered fine so not sure I should worry about long Covid. I think I’d have developed it by now and all bugs can come with complications.

Oh yes me too! The time I had Covid before I developed long covid I was just a little tired for a week! No other symptoms at all.

I developed Long Covid from a mild infection. I don’t even think I went to bed with it….only I didn’t get better.

Just be aware- it can affect anyone at any age. Doesn’t matter how good your immune system is. I am part of a group with thousands of athletes, triathletes, marathon runners- all affected. Many from mild infections….

You do realise each infection causes damage - you may not see it just yet.
Your comment is no different to the 'I smoke 400 fags a day and I'm ok' brigade. We know smoking causes cancer.

I’ve got rampant health anxiety so I worry about illnesses all the time. I also worry about the climate emergency, social media, AI, Trump…and all the rest of it. I’ve reached my worry capacity for the time being and unfortunately haven’t currently got space for worrying about long covid. I am very sorry for those who have it though, it must be awful. My DB has a long term fatigue condition. He’s been suffering on and off for about 30 years.

I don’t think you can unfortunately unless you test.

So I think all we can do is do is behave a little more like the Japanese - better sickness policies, stay away from other people if you have visible symptoms, practice good hygiene control.

I would also like to see better hygiene control in places like hospitals (should be a given but it’s not,), schools, public places.

People need to live their lives for sure. But be aware this is going to be a huge problem going forward. The impact of each Covid infection damages the immune system so we don’t want to keep getting it.

Reading the thread is stalking now? Did you forget your comment. You work with SEN children. SEN and ND children can be difficult enough to deal with without being unwell, I would know!

I’m sure it’s nice for them and their families to get ill for a week so you don’t lose out on a bit of money. I’d never knowingly enter someone’s home and make a whole family sick. It’s morally wrong.

Yes I completely understand. The world is not a great place place and we do need to live our lives.

I think I just want people to educate themselves and be a little more aware that unfortunately Covid has not just evolved to be a cold like we thought it would.

All people need to do is to be a little less selfish when ill (if they can miss work) and try and avoid spreading anything around.

I'm not sure what you mean by this really. I 'worry' about long covid in the sense that I would hate to get it, I've seen how debilitating it is, one of my favourite endurance cyclists has posted for years about how it's affected her.

At the same time though, I can't see that there is really anything I can do about it? I'm pretty sure I've had covid twice this year, both times only realised that is probably what is was with hindsight because of how long it lasted (4-6 weeks) and I've had plenty of other coughs and colds, I'm susceptible due to asthma and allergies. If I wanted to avoid people when I had symptoms, or avoid others who have symptoms, I'd pretty much have to live on a remote island for most of the year. I can practice good hygiene but I can't take time off work every time I start with cold symptoms, especially mild ones.

There are a number of global trials to find a neutralising vaccine which will prevent infection and stop covid. These are looking very promising, so if you can do the basics to avoid infection until they become available you will be in a better health position. Ventilation and FFP3 or FFP2 masks are easy tools for colds, flu and covid. Hope that helps reduce your anxiety.

@LuLightFest
Nope - still going to work if I have a cold! And also setting a good example to the young people I tutor that work goes on if you are a little bit under the weather. A good work ethic is so important.
What do you do for a living? Is your time off paid?

If people stayed home (where possible) when they have Covid - or any other infectious illness - then there would be less of it around, and less need to stay home …. Because you’re ill less often!!

Covid is very different to cold and flu sadly. Not just long Covid - which can be utterly debilitating and last for years - but it can also cause organ damage. Plus it’s recently been proven to cause long-term damage to people’s immune systems, so it’s likely that repeat infections are playing into the rise in lots of other illnesses.

It’s a no brainer. If you can stay home, then you should. Why risk ruining someone’s life if you can avoid it? 🤯

No, just test if ill if you want to know if covid or flu. Easy tools to help avoid catching covid, flu or colds or passing it on - good ventilation, wear an FFP3 or FFP2 mask - this is good hygiene. HEPA filters also remove viruses from the air along with pollution.
If we normalised this people would be more confident in wearing masks when necessary. Less long term sickness, less damage to the economy and lower benefits bills.

@mumatlast14 Does any of the guidance advise mask use?

Wear an FFP3 mask then. They won't thank you for being made ill.

Yes.