Corona faker?

[bmbonanza]

A person at work has been on holiday abroad - Thailand - has come back and elected to isolate because they say they may have been in contact with someone with Corona. They have no symptoms but have self signed off for 2 weeks (paid) meaning others are having to do their work. they are posting on FB etc about how they are doing their decorating and catching up with stuff in their two weeks. Their 'sick' record is poor but apparently this wont count against them. can we all just do this?

Doggodogington there is no government advice to self isolate with symptoms if returning from Japan where I live (Australia) so I didn’t really have any choice. I also need a medical certificate for more than three days sick leave. Taking nearly two weeks sick leave for a cold wasn’t an option for me,

I’d actually be happy to self isolate. I certainly have lots of projects around the house to do and TV shows to catch up on

They didn't - they had alleged contact with someone who had been abroad

You said in OP they'd just come back from Thailand.

Just stop. So if he was to come to work and infect you all then you would be posting how selfish of him to return to work after being in contact with someone with corona.

Sounds like your just jealous. Continue with your work and let him have his 2 weeks which is recommended, just because you say he doesn't show signs means nothing, your not a qualified doctor and certainly not his doctor.

they did go on holiday abroad but were only allegedly in contact

In an airport or on a flight, it's a distinct possibility.

Meh I'd rather they stayed at home just in case tbh

This particular guy may be a dosser in general and that probably colours how you view this particular situation but I don't think he's faking anything. He hasn't claimed he definitely has the virus, he's said he might have been exposed to it. There's a 2-4 week incubation period so him feeling fine now doesn't indicate anything. If he's going but to B&Q then he's a selfish arsehole but staying home is just following sensible advice.

I could definitely manage two.weeks isolation at home!

Sadly my job is one that can be done from home if needed [weeps]

If they have been though an airport then its possible they have had contact with the virus.

Very true, and of course given the mix and intermingling of passengers these days that is true for anybody that has been through any airport, anywhere.

So where do people want to draw the line on this? Self isolation for everybody who has been through Heathrow recently? John Lennon Airport?

Whilst it may seem that he's having a jolly at the moment, if it does turn out that he's contracted it, he could end up being pretty ill. I think I'd rather be in work doing a bit of extra work than suffering from Coronavirus.

Don't think it's the same one, but there was a radio news item about someone in our area doing the same. I think she'd been to Malaga ()!

I said to DH - "That's a clever way of extending your holiday. How could an employer complain - or dock your wages?"

I can think of numerous CF's (the ones who regarded the self-certified sick leave as being part of their holiday entitlement) thriving in this environment.

"Containment is almost redundant", true. And true anyone you'd contact via 999 is stretched enough as it is, without being made to self isolate for 2+ weeks, just in case.

I think I'm going to stock up on soap and hand gels. I could get a plague Dr mask, but it would probably come from China, and have been coughed all over, by the infected lad packing it.

Are McCdonalds toys etc, still being shipped in from abroad? Can things like that carry covid 19?

Yea YABU

I don't think I'd count not being able to leave your home for 2 weeks "a holiday". If he's out and about buying decorating materials, that's another thing, but if he's at home and has the stuff (or can get them delivered) then- why not?

Being in Thailand alone in itself would not be a reason to self-isolate though.
The risk areas are - China, Hong Kong, Macau, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Iran and Italy. At work we have been advised to limit business travel to and from those places to business critical trips only. And on return we must work from home for at least two weeks after the date of travel.

I'm on the fence. I think there's going to be a lot of CF out there who will be desperately coming up with excuses to self-isolate for 2 weeks. But, if he's genuinely had contact with someone with Corona virus then he's actually following the recommended advice. Truth is we just don't know if he's actually at risk or not, and therefore whether he's taking the piss or not. And you can't really blame him for doing stuff whilst he's at home whilst in self-isolation, it's not like he's going to just spend 2 weeks staring at a wall.

And you give two shits because...

The worry is it spreading and reaching the most vulnerable - the elderly, already ill, small children. That is where it will cause the most serious cases.
Actually small children are the least likely to have serious problems.

The current NHS advice is for anyone returning from an affected country to self isolate 🤷🏻‍♀️ he may be taking the piss, he may not be you just don't know.

Also to PP no you cannot catch the virus from handling McDonald's toys which will have been in storage for months same goes for the masks. Eating Chinese food and sitting next to Asian people on the train is also safe.

I think there will be many people doing this over the next few months. Especially people who take lots of sick days anyway. I think it’s rude and opportunistic but there’s nothing we can do because we don’t know how to control this virus.

I’m pretty sure the OP said the person had come into contact with cold / flu like symptoms on their trip. Not someone with confirmed or even suspected corona virus. I think most trips I’d come into contact with at least one obviously sick person. Sounds like they’re taking the puss to me.

I heard of someone doing the opposite.
Coming back from Thailand and be told by DR to quarantine the self but refused .. this is person who has chill mind business..shocking.
Now I was told it’s more than two weeks ago and she has no symptoms..so no need. But still. Sicko.
So I rather Everyone isolates everywhere. Hate people when they ignore this stuff. FFS!

I bet there’s people who have the virus are ignoring it, still going to work because they can’t afford not to.

I’d send him work to do at home .. if he’s well enough to do decorating ....

The economics of the country will be crashing too at this rate.

The piss, not the puss

"has the stuff (or can get them delivered) then- why not?"

Having it delivered puts delivery man at risk?

"And you give two shits because..."

Because we are picking up his work whilst he has two weeks free holiday! Why not - because its a skive!

@Wheresthebeach

School in Derbyshire has closed, an American Oil company has sent home 300 people from their offices in Canary Wharf it's spreading and calling people 'fakers' for self isolating isn't helpful.

Chevron have closed the office temporarily (and it's only the downstream ops) because one of the staff is being tested. They have massively jumped the gun and are getting rightly slated for it.

One of my clients is another massive oil co', and is just round the corner from Chevron, and they're only stopping some travel to CN and SG at the moment, mostly because there's nothing hugely desperate that needs U.K. staff there. I've just returned from the Netherlands and Germany after a trip for this client and have already been to Shanghai and SG for them twice since the new year. Not everyone is doing the ridiculously OTT "panic!" act.

You can't use Chevron's choice to close an office as anything other than a sign that not everyone is rational and sensible.

We will end up with a fucked economy and society breaking down if some people get their way. Life has to go on, without everyone holed up at home eating a year's supply of cold beans.

'PHE has also updated Category 2 countries and areas. These are now Cambodia; China; Hong Kong; Japan; Laos; Macau; Malaysia; Myanmar; Singapore; Taiwan; Thailand; Vietnam; Republic of Korea and northern Italy. The latter two excludes the areas specifically referred to in Category 1.

Travellers from Category 2 regions are not required to undertake special measures, but are requested to self isolate and call 111 should they develop symptoms'

Thailand is one of the countries where returning travellers have been asked to self isolate. So no, not a CF.
And if they're not doing any work then that's your companies fault for not having a policies in place to deal with staff not being able to come in. My company had contingency plans that allowed for almost ALL staff to WFH in emergencies like extreme weather etc. , access to systems, laptops for most staff, phones. Reimbursement plans for colleagues who would have to use person equipment like their own PCs or phones -