Work colleague is an absolute knob

[Singlebutmarried]

I work in a small office (enough separate rooms for each staff member so distancing all good)

I’ve been WFH since the beginning of March as I’m immuno compromised.

Colleague messages yesterday saying someone that they have been walking with has tested positive, they have taken a test and should they stay at home til they get the results.

Erm. Yes.

There’s no guidance on NHS England for contact with a non household member, there is on NHS Scotland which advises isolating for 14 days even if negative due to potential incubation period.

Twat colleague has tested negative and is now back in the office.

It doesn’t affect me at present, but it bloody will do if he does have it and takes down the rest of the office with him.

He’s a total dick isn’t he.

There’s nothing I can do about it either, he just doesn’t want to work from home.

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

I don't see that he's done anything specifically wrong here. Granted, he seems a nobhead in general, but in terms of actions this time, he's done the right thing by getting tested as a precaution, when in actual fact if he's just been walking with someone it's highly unlikely he is going to catch it off them, and has waited till he's had the test results before going back to work, where, as you say the set up is ok as everyone has their own space.

I'm not sure what more you expect him to do. The country would just grind to a halt if we all just stayed at home for 14 days even when having a negative test result. You think the whole country should have 2 tests just to make sure?

Do you know how the person he went walking with got the virus? Does his work expose him to it? The only thing I woud say if that it does,then maybe your colleague should have chosen someone else to go walking with. Most healthcare workers I know are being careful not to mix with others outside their households even at a distance because they know they're at a higher risk of passing it on unknowingly, even if they're careful.

[TitianaTitsling]

Is it just you dont like him anyway?

[saraclara]

When did he walk with this person? If it was only a couple of days ago, then of course he'll test negative. It takes between 5-7 days on average to incubate the virus, sometimes more. That's why we're told to isolate for 14 days if we've been in contact with it. That's the whole point of the track ad trace app that is on the way.

So unless he last walked with this person more than 14 days ago, he shouldn't be at work.

[MerlinMoo]

My manager wanted me straight back once I got the negative result. Your collegue is negative what the problem?

[Fluffybutter]

Why are you spouting about Scotland when you’re in England ?
Yabu and he’s bloody lucky he got his results so quickly . Parents have been waiting 12 days !

[notsureofname]

You don't sound like a very nice person either. When will you be back working with him ? Think all a cover for you disliking him so much.

[LoveIslandVirgin]

Sorry my thumb pressed before I engaged brain!

Also, if the test came back negative there are other conditions to fulfil before coming out of isolation.

A negative result means you did not have coronavirus when the test was done.

You can stop self-isolating if you test negative, as long as:

everyone you live with who has coronavirus symptoms also tests negative – keep self-isolating if someone in your home tests positive, or has symptoms and has not been tested
you feel well – if you still feel unwell, you may have a different illness that could spread to other people, so stay at home until you’re feeling better
If you have diarrhoea or you’re being sick, stay at home until 48 hours after they've stopped.

[saraclara]

If you've had symptoms but get a negative test, then yes, back to work. But if you've been IN CONTACT WITH someone with the virus, a negative test means nothing. The virus could still be incubating.

I'm stunned at home many people are ignorant of the rules here. God help us when track and trace comes in.

[BessMarvin]

You don't sound like a very nice person either.

Where do you get that from?

[helpfulperson]

I'm not sure where you get the information about Scotland from. I'm not aware of that being the case except for specific area where trace and protect is in place. It's very impractical. Nurse on a ward tests positive and all the rest of the staff have to stay at home for 14 days. What do we do with the patients?

[Singlebutmarried]

@helpfulperson the info come from the nhs Scotland website.

[Singlebutmarried]

There are no guideline on the nhs England website for this scenario. Only if someone you live with has tested positive.

He can work from home, which of common sense (that mythical beast) is applied then surely that’s what he should do to ensure that he doesn’t develop the symptoms within the 14 days since he last had contact with mystery walk woman.

[Runmybathforme]

My partner tested positive, I tested negative. The message I got with my result was, that if someone in my household has tested positive, and I had no symptoms on the day of testing, I must self isolate for 14 days.
The fact that the colleague tested negative is irrelevant because of the incubation period. I work for the NHS , and there is no way hey wanted me back before the 14days was up.

[Megatron]

@Singlebutmarried there's a lot of drip feeding in your posts. He sounds like a total dickhead but I'm not sure what he's done wrong with this particular issue. You need to report him if he keeps coughing on you when you get back to work though.

@Runmybathforme I imagine that is because you live with your partner? This man didn't live with the person, they walked together and one would hope observed social distancing.

[Rosebel]

It doesn't affect you though as your not in the office and even if you were everyone is distanced. He's tested negative and I suspect your boss is fully aware of the situation. If they were bothered they'd insist he works from home.
I think you're looking for an excuse to get at him because you don't like him.

[CherryStoneTree]

OP I agree, the rules should be with a work colleague positive, you isolate for 14 days even with a negative test. Even hospital patients test negative when they are proper sick.

[Singlebutmarried]

I’m happy to admit I don’t like him.

But he’s further cemented that with his blatant disregard of the safety and we’ll being off those remaining in the office.

If he does eventually test positive then he has then been in contact with three other people. Who then will go home to their families (a further nine people at least).

He has not been following social distancing and has been meeting with people through the lockdown, even prior to the you can meet a friend but not both parents message if a couple of weeks ago.

He lives in an HMO, the person who tested positive lives in a different HMO. So all his housemates now need to be tested. If one of them comes back positive he should isolate I believe, but I doubt he’d let anyone know if a housemate did test positive.

He has refused to work from home.

[CuriousaboutSamphire]

I'm not surprised you don't like him.

You have 2 circles to run round him:

He coughs in your face again you say loudly "I've told you not to do that. You know I am immuno comprimised. Next time and I will go to HR and make a formal complaint"

I’ve explained how to do a particular process on a weekly basis, yet he still can’t grasp it. Next time ask him which of the other weekly explanations, 100 and counting, he has forgotten. And refuse to explain again. Line mamager gets told you refuse to waste yet another hour of your work time on the same damn task!

Sad part is you have helped him pass teh 2 year mark...

[highmarkingsnowbile]

You're making this very personal and coming across as having a vendetta you want to punish him for and looking to use Covid as an excuse. It isn't. He hasn't done anything wrong, you certainly know an awful lot about his personal life for someone who despises him so much . You're working from home, he's no danger to you, you do not get to dictate that he isolate or what he does with his personal life or force others to be tested. You have too much time on your hands, focus on something more positive.

[daisychain01]

I think I’m possibly a bit hard in him because he thought it was hilarious to cough all over me before I started working from home

You can't change the attitude and behaviours of this utter dickhead, so I would continue to wfh for the foreseeable and hope he sods off elsewhere in the meantime

[Rosebel]

Your boss,should grow a backbone and tell him to work from home but it doesn't sound like your boss,is,worried so why are you (as,you aren't there). I think it's more likely there that his,test was negative so your boss told him come back to work.

[Menora]

I work in the NHS. We can’t afford for negative tested staff to stay at home for 2 weeks with no symptoms and no proven evidence of COVID. YABU on that count

Coughing on you is not ok

[HappyHammy]

You dislike him but you seem to know an awful lot about his personal life, why did he text you specifically with this info if you're not even friends and you're not at work. If you have genuine concerns about the risk to your colleagues then just pass his text and any relevant info to your manager in good faith to deal with.

[Singlebutmarried]

He posts all info on the work WhatsApp group. There’s only 4 of us.

[HappyHammy]

What is the watsapp works group, that is very unprofessional. Is the manager part of this group?