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AIBU?

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Original poster

Corona faker?

150 replies

bmbonanza · 27/02/2020 09:01

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?

OP posts:
porple · 27/02/2020 10:34

better safe than sorry

PeridotPassion · 27/02/2020 10:35

I don't think I'd count not being able to leave your home for 2 weeks "a holiday

Christ, I would. I would find plenty to do in the house and garden...both work and relaxing. Sound bloody lovely to me Grin

jumpinjeepers · 27/02/2020 10:37

And if Chevron want to close their offices that's up to them, their workers will be equipped to WFH for the most part anyway.

NotEverythingIsBlackandwhite · 27/02/2020 10:38

Better they self-isolate than giving you or anyone else at work Coronavirus if they are a carrier. What are they supposed to do if at home? I'd get on and decorate or whatever too (but wouldn't post on FB as not into FB). What do you want them to do - sit at home doing nothing and being miserable?

They may actually be quite worried about contracting the virus.

DameHannahRelf · 27/02/2020 10:40

I read somewhere that there's a chance the can virus can spread via someone touching an infected object, then touching their face, and that led to me thinking how much stuff I own that says made in China/Thailand somewhere on it. I can't find much info on how long it can "live" that way.
I also have no idea on the turnover for happy meal toys or how regulary they get shipped in (or how), or how quickly things can get to the UK from websites like wish, ebay etc. Does anyone know how likely it is to spread via contaminated surfaces?

Wheresthebeach · 27/02/2020 10:40

@DowntownAbby We won't know if Chevron is being unreasonable until tests come back. I don't know the people in charge so I can't comment on if they are the hysterical type...but it's a big step and I can't imagine one they look lightly.

DowntownAbby · 27/02/2020 10:40

@jumpinjeepers

and if they're not doing work it's your company's fault...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.

Typical small minded MN response.

Not everyone works in a fucking office.

CassidyStone · 27/02/2020 10:41

Surely it's better that one person might be faking the fact they may have been in contact with someone with the virus, than that one person having been in contact with COVID-19, infecting the entire workforce? In the grand scheme of things, I would prefer to take on a dozen other people's workloads than risk a massive outbreak of the virus at work.

HomerSimpsonSmilingPolitely · 27/02/2020 10:42

He is following the official advice. Yes, it Sounds like he's having a grand old time at home, but what can you do? I know It might make you feel envious since you have to go to work but you have to just suck it up. Everything that you've said about his story makes it sound like he could have the virus and just not be showing symptoms yet.

Bellesboo2 · 27/02/2020 10:45

I work for quite a large company, where hundreds of employees all work in a very large open space.
A few days ago, we all recieved an email stating that if any of us had returned from a holiday in certain areas, Thailand included, we couldnt return to work and had himself isolate for 2 weeks. I dont agree with this, especially if you're not showing systems or haven't been in contact with anyone who is showing/does have it.. but I guess the company isnt prepared to take that risk, however, small.

Redwinestillfine · 27/02/2020 10:45

I don't see the issue. They are following advice and if more people acted responsibly then it wouldn't be spreading as fast. Self isolating is just that, in case symptoms appear. No need to be lying around. Decorating seems like a useful way to spend the time.

Bellesboo2 · 27/02/2020 10:46
  • and had to self isolate that should read Hmm
Gadgnkk · 27/02/2020 10:49

It’s probably the right thing to do, to self isolate if you return from Thailand. However, being that this dude is already a CF, he’s probably absolutely gleeful about his extra 2 weeks holiday and it also sounds like he thinks this means simply not going to work, rather than actually self isolating and not going to B&Q, Tesco etc.

A child in our school went skiing in Italy and is supposed to be self isolating. Off school, but happily shopping in a heavily populated area.

DowntownAbby · 27/02/2020 10:49

Are a lot of you struggling badly with comprehension here?

The advice for returning from Thailand IS NOT to self isolate unless you have symptoms.

So if this bloke has stayed at home just because he's been to Thailand he's a pisstaker, pure and simple.

jumpinjeepers · 27/02/2020 10:51

@DowntownAbby
'Typical small minded MN response.

Not everyone works in a fucking office.'

Yeah, I'm aware. And the majority of my company DO NOT work in an office or are office based. That's what contingency plans are for - setting up alternatives for staff, including communication between the staff, doing admin or CPD or similar.
Even the busiest of A&E staff occasionally have to fill in a form or crack open a book...

LetsSplashMummy · 27/02/2020 10:54

DameHannah

What you are extrapolating from is a situation where one person has coughed into their hand, touched the pen and handed it straight to someone else.

There is no way that a virus would survive on a happy meal toy for the time period taken to ship it.

GCAcademic · 27/02/2020 10:58

How long before employers start asking where staff will be travelling to before they approve annual eave?

Cohle · 27/02/2020 10:59

I think quarantine procedures robust enough to actually stand a chance of halting the spread of the virus unfortunately are vulnerable to being exploited. It's a price I'm happy to pay.

EmbarrassingMama · 27/02/2020 11:00

Our company policy is that anyone who has been to a list of about 6-8 countries has to self isolate for two weeks on returning, regardless of symptoms.

I suspect this will become common practice - if you can work from home, you should.

WorraLiberty · 27/02/2020 11:01

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

Then that is something you need to raise with your line manager.

DameHannahRelf · 27/02/2020 11:02

"What you are extrapolating from is a situation where one person has coughed into their hand, touched the pen and handed it straight to someone else."

^Yes, that's what I mean, how likely is it to spread that way. If someone infected wipes their mouth, then a minute later presses the call button for a lift, or uses a door handle or whatever?

jumpinjeepers · 27/02/2020 11:03

Personally I'd rather a CF gets a couple of weeks off rather than having one jobsworth who has genuinely been at high risk insisting on coming into work - anyway, it's your HR/boss's call. So you'll just have to suck it up on this occasion, you all cover for each other for hols anyway presumably...

Eledamorena · 27/02/2020 11:07

I live in Thailand. There is absolutely no way that the reported figures of cases here are accurate. Everyone here knows it. I would suggest self-isolation is sensible.

I work in a school and we (staff, students, parents) have to self-isolate and not step foot on campus if we've travelled to various countries in the last 14 days. This is a government directive, not a school decision. This also includes half-term, when half the school community went on bloody holiday. We are therefore working with lots of staff away. It's hard but we're managing, and certainly nobody blames the staff who are off. But it's frustrating because they all came to work last week before the order was issued, and because we are all living and moving around in a high-risk region anyway...

Anyway in terms of the UK I would say if the advice is to self-isolate, people should follow that. But people choosing to travel from now on shouldn't be paid for then having 14 days off when they return as travelling at this point means you know the consequences...

reluctantbrit · 27/02/2020 11:20

Our company has very strict rules now, you have to work-from-home, luckily that is possible for everyone.

Two coming back from Singapore when the virus hit are now back in the office and one currently in Italy skiing will self-isolate from return for two weeks as well.

I do think there is a bit of panic, nobody would self-isolate during normal flu season but better save than sorry.

Brettney · 27/02/2020 11:20

I think if anyone chooses to go abroad now and returns and self isolates it should be unpaid though.