Refusing covid testing

[MrsSleepyHB]

Aibu to feel it's selfish to refuse regular testing offered through your employer?

I don't want to be outing, but a person we know works in childcare and has chosen to refuse testing as they are concerned if they tested positive they wouldn't want to isolate for 2 weeks.

I feel like this is crazy to not take any steps we can to stay safer, especially for the people they come into contact with. I'm not a crazy covid person either! Just think we should grab anything were offered.

Aibu? Would you refuse testing?

If the government wants people to isolate then they need to pay them to be able to do so. It’s quite simple.

This has been said many times over the past year so I can only conclude that the government isn’t actually that bothered about people isolating or they would have fixed the problem.

@sunflowersandbuttercups

Does it not bother you that one of the most obvious ways of you catching COVID in the first place would be people not testing and/or refusing to isolate?

Not really. I'm more bothered that millions of people are expected to stay home from work for 10 days at a time with minimal or zero income.

Sort out the sick pay problem if you want people to stay off work for days on end. It's not difficult.

You’ve got me wrong - I’m not saying I want people to do anything in particular. Of course it’s up to you what you do, but I was just pointing out that if everyone was careful and isolated, it would mean YOU would be less likely to catch it. It sounds like catching it and having to isolate or just being sick enough to make you unable to work would be quite a big deal to you so I just thought I’d point out that you would have to worry less if everyone was being careful and keeping away from you if sick. But each to their own and I can see that some people would struggle. We are super privileged that it wouldn’t really matter so I can’t judge.

@islockdownoveryet I'm not making decisions for anyone, just saying I understand why people aren't doing it. I take part in my works testing scheme but I also have the "luxury" of being paid for isolation and it not counting on my sick record. People in other jobs or running their own business do not have that safety net.

@GabriellaMontez

Does it not bother you that one of the most obvious ways of you catching COVID in the first place would be people not testing and/or refusing to isolate??

The most obvious way of catching it is being in hospital not from asymptomatic spread.

I mean..yes if you are one of the small percentage of the population currently in hospital. Even then I would argue it would be asymptomatic spread as anyone in hospital with symptoms would already have been isolated.

You’ve got me wrong - I’m not saying I want people to do anything in particular. Of course it’s up to you what you do, but I was just pointing out that if everyone was careful and isolated, it would mean YOU would be less likely to catch it*

Yes, but people won't do that if they're not getting paid. If you felt well in yourself and had zero symptoms of COVID, would you willingly deprive your family of 10 days pay?

It sounds like catching it and having to isolate or just being sick enough to make you unable to work would be quite a big deal to you so I just thought I’d point out that you would have to worry less if everyone was being careful and keeping away from you if sick.

I do know that. But I don't expect people to stay off work without pay. I think that's massively unrealistic.

But each to their own and I can see that some people would struggle. We are super privileged that it wouldn’t really matter so I can’t judge.

Exactly, you can't judge. If you can afford to regularly have time off work, you're extraordinarily lucky. Millions of families aren't in that position. They get, what, £70 a week SSP if they're lucky, nothing if they're self-employed. How are they supposed to pay the bills and support their families on that?

If you really care about the consequences of asymptomatic spread, campaign for people to full pay for having to isolate, whether they're employed, self-employed or on zero hours.

The government could have changed that if they really wanted to, but clearly they're not that bothered.

You’ve got me wrong - I’m not saying I want people to do anything in particular. Of course it’s up to you what you do, but I was just pointing out that if everyone was careful and isolated, it would mean YOU would be less likely to catch it

Yes, but people won't do that if they're not getting paid. If you felt well in yourself and had zero symptoms of COVID, would you willingly deprive your family of 10 days pay?

It sounds like catching it and having to isolate or just being sick enough to make you unable to work would be quite a big deal to you so I just thought I’d point out that you would have to worry less if everyone was being careful and keeping away from you if sick.

I do know that. But I don't expect people to stay off work without pay. I think that's massively unrealistic.

But each to their own and I can see that some people would struggle. We are super privileged that it wouldn’t really matter so I can’t judge.

Exactly, you can't judge. If you can afford to regularly have time off work, you're extraordinarily lucky. Millions of families aren't in that position. They get, what, £70 a week SSP if they're lucky, nothing if they're self-employed. How are they supposed to pay the bills and support their families on that?

If you really care about the consequences of asymptomatic spread, campaign for people to full pay for having to isolate, whether they're employed, self-employed or on zero hours.

The government could have changed that if they really wanted to, but clearly they're not that bothered.