AIBU about Coronavirus and my colleague?

[Honsandrebels]

A colleague is due back in the office today from 10 days in Beijing. AIBU to be nervous that they may be infected with Coronavirus? My DD almost died from pneumonia as a baby and has damage to one lung, so am terrified about her contracting something like this. I think I am being U as realistically she could come into contact with it anywhere. But this is a person I know who has been in China the whole length of the outbreak. Ideally I would want to work from home until the colleague is 14 days clear, to protect my DD. Even writing this I am pretty sure I am being U. But opinions appreciated.

People are worried because the “ facts/ science/ official advice” say it’s too early to tell.

There's also no known info on how or how quickly it may mutate.

Slightly off topic, but have any of you ever played Virus Inc?

Its a simulation game for a pandemic, where you are trying to wipe out humanity.... and this is precisely how you win. An unknown virus with a low mortality rate, mild symptoms in most cases and an easy transmission vector. (Yes, I am aware that its just a game. No, I am not suggesting that we're all going to die. )

It's going to spread; it probably already has. The issue is what it does next and how fast and which ways it mutates. Until that happens, I'm not worried.

I think the App you mean is called Plague Inc, and yes I have.

It's brilliant in play, and reported to be very plausible, biased on factors of spread (though the speed of scientists working to combat whatever you choose to loose always seems a bit random, and it does not allow frbanti-vaxxers)

I really must play again and select the known features of this virus.

Population of Beijing is 21million. They have had ONE Death. If you are actually considering that a risk to you then you'd better not travel or mix with people who have been to Germany or the US or any other places where the virus has been documented.

Anyone seriously panicking about someone returning from Beijing had better do as they preach and if there is a single case in London or any other city, they'd better stay home. Cos the probability will be far greater than 1 in 21 million.

@FenellaMaxwell I never said it was spreading in the US, it spread it TO the US. It could be to soon to say whether it has spread in the US.

My company has instigated a company policy where anyone returning from China/hk has to work from home for 14 days. Not sure what industry you’re in but my company has a big presence in that part of Asia and everyone is aware of the risks. Your colleague sounds frustrating.

Germany has reported its first case - a man who was infected by a colleague visiting from Shanghai. So it is not unreasonable or irrational to be concerned about this.

We should all encourage our employers to conduct virtual meetings anyway. Bloody hate travelling when a teleconference will do just the same.

Flu kills 800 people a year in the UK, would you say that anyone who might have had contact with someone who has flu should stay off work for two weeks?

YABU.

Flu isn't contagious until you are symptomatic though. This virus appears possibly to be contagious before symptoms appear, hence the quarantine.

Countries don't quarantine whole cities for flu. China are worried and they are allowing their worry to show. That's extremely unusual for them.

Flu is already here,
So far there have been no confirmed cases of the Corona virus in the UK and I’m sure we’d all like to keep it that way. Although with so many people having already flown in from Wuhan, it’s probably only a matter of time.

The Chinese government have form for under reporting this kind of thing. Would they really have placed a large city in quarantine Unless it is much worse than we are being told? AFAIK nothing like this has been done before.

Not U at all. Definitely have a word withh hv HR about this.

This seems crazy to me.. my colleague has recently visited Hong Kong, as well as some other asian countries and is coming back next week. I can't see our employer giving them two weeks paid leave because they are following PHE and FCO guidelines.

@damnthatanxiety
I find what you say in your comment above more offensive.

If you can work from home it’s not “paid leave”

MissPoldark don't be 'offended'. I am one so I am hardly being racist.

YABU but I understand your worries and I think they’re understandable. On an emotional level, I get it but realistically, I think your worries are probably unfounded. Easy to say and much harder to believe when you’ve had such a poorly baby though. I hope she is otherwise now doing better.

Good hand hygiene and you'll be fine. She'll be low risk.

@schuyler (great name) thank you, she is doing good but jesus the worry never leaves me. Agree that I am being emotional rather than logical. We have a very risk averse security team at work and they are the ones who have implemented the quarantine. @halcyondays China have quarantined cities before - they sealed off yumen in 2014 for an outbreak of bubonic plague!

@AuntieStella that's it, thank you!

Yes, it is supposed to be based on real world data. I had heard - although I have my doubts about this - that it also helps put a randomised 'human' factor into simulations.

It is good fun though, if a little creepy. I can pretty consistently beat the viral levels with something close to the profile of the disease. The only thing against it is the speed of detection - the game's not usually this quick until the symptoms get more dramatic.

@damnthatanxiety What??? I didn’t want to give a run down of their itinerary as it would have been outing to anyone who works at our office and Hong Kong is the only place they’ve been on a multi stop tour with reported cases of the virus 😳 how is saying Asian countries (ie countries in the continent of Asia) any different to telling people I did a road trip of European countries last year. Bloody hell..

Anyway, back to the thread.

Everyone saying OP was being unreasonable do you still feel the same? OP,, what is happening with colleague?