AIBU to think the office should close?

[COVIDhelp]

We’ve had an email from our CEO today stating that 5 members of staff across 3 teams have had positive COVID tests this week. Senior leadership have had everyone return to the office since the restrictions were eased on 12th April (claiming COVID secure), no WFH despite it being perfectly possible.

AIBU to think this should lead to the office being closed for a deep clean and a return to WFH for a couple of weeks at least?! We are not a huge office so this is about 5% of the workforce testing positive. Currently they are expecting the remaining staff in the office as usual. 🤷‍♀️

Surely the rest of you must isolate too?

Ok so 5/100 people have tested positive for Covid. They may or may not have been in the workplace (perhaps they've been off ill since the weekend or were on annual leave). They may or may not be in the the same team.

If 5 people on a separate floor of my office building tested positive for Covid, I wouldn't be unduly worried and would not expect everyone to be sent home.

Deep cleaning would be a sensible precaution.

@Cornishmumofone

Ok so 5/100 people have tested positive for Covid. They may or may not have been in the workplace (perhaps they've been off ill since the weekend or were on annual leave). They may or may not be in the the same team.

If 5 people on a separate floor of my office building tested positive for Covid, I wouldn't be unduly worried and would not expect everyone to be sent home.

Deep cleaning would be a sensible precaution.

It’s not a separate floor, we’re all in the same open plan office.

My office would be closed on that basis.

Is there strict SD? Surely test and trace should have kicked in if that's even still a thing?

@idontlikealdi

My office would be closed on that basis.

Is there strict SD? Surely test and trace should have kicked in if that's even still a thing?

They claim social distancing, but in reality people are closer than 2m when working together. No track and trace other than who is in office on a particular day.

Bump

YANBU but from the sounds of it your employers dont care. It's likely that 5 will only be the tip of the iceberg so you might want to consider whether you need to self isolate at home.

At our workplace, other colleagues can continue to come into work unless they get symptoms in their own right. We've only isolated people who worked particularly closely to the positive staff, so on adjacent desks etc. My workplace wouldn't close in this case.

It still says Work from home if you can on the gov.uk website, why aren't they following this?

Actually it says under the work section of the covid advice: "and employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home, including providing suitable IT and equipment to enable remote working."

So, the company isn't doing what they should under Government guidance!

Usually if there are more than 5 cases PHE will intervene.

Have the workplace reported the cases to the Self Isolation Service Hub as per the gov.uk test and trace advice for employers?

I would be expecting a deep clean and those who came in close contact to work from home