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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Mandatory Covid test - workplace

98 replies

Etherel · 31/08/2021 08:33

My employer has mandated (via text message, no less) that all staff must take a LFT and provide evidence of this on arrival in a few days' time.

A quick Google search shows that refusing to comply with such a testing requirement may well be considered a disciplinary matter.

I am fully vaccinated and LFTs make me physically sick. Two big reasons why I am considering to protest. But, aside from my personal issues, is this not just too invasive in general?

OP posts:

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 31/08/2021 20:00

Just collect them in your local pharmacy, they are free and you can ask for nose swab ones.

IWasBornInAThunderstorm · 31/08/2021 20:01

@botanics

Thanks - but the last pack I got (last week) were not nose only.

Order another one then

SianyBabe1 · 15/09/2021 10:12

Hi, totally appalling to be honest, and I think not legal. I have only ever taken two of these tests, and both times I was really sick...would never take another, as they are about as reliable as chocolate teapots.
I am really angry at our local school too who are not enforcing it, but pushing it quite a bit...using minimum wage unqualified casual staff to do the tests. The amount of children I have heard of who threw up, yet they still kept sticking the thing down their throats. Nothing short of child abuse really. My sister has a child at the school and she got so upset she had to come home after being sick. My sister has made a complaint.....you need to do the same.

SianyBabe1 · 15/09/2021 10:13

I do believe you can get spit tests, but not sure how. Googling them, some company was really making on at £60 per test !!!

DoormatBob · 15/09/2021 10:28

I work for a multi national engineering company. On site workers have had to do weekly nasal swab PCR tests since early last year (operated by a private company).

It's not enjoyable but being unemployed would be worse. People complaining about minor inconveniences that mean the pandemic has basically no impact on them does piss me off.

SianyBabe1 · 15/09/2021 11:06

DoormatBob.....having something rammed down your throat until you throw up is NOT a "minor inconvenience", especially as it is not even that reliable and that you have to do it so many times. If we had to do this for months and months, even years, we'd end up with much more serious problems than covid (which has a huge survival rate)....problems like weight loss, anxiety, erosion of the teeth, oesophagus issues, stomach issues.
Can you not see that this person is terrified of having this done, just like I would be. It is basically bullying in the workplace.

DoormatBob · 15/09/2021 14:38

@SianyBabe1 its a self admistered test. OP has full control over the swab and 2 nasal swabs is an acceptable alternative.

The OP could not swab at all and report negative.

I think there is a balance of the right thing to do and the right thing for you.

SianyBabe1 · 15/09/2021 15:20

The ones at school are NOT self administered and they DO include the stick down the throat.

The 2 I did were DIY ones, but I still threw up big time.

Sorry, it's child abuse and workplace bullying full stop !

SianyBabe1 · 15/09/2021 15:21

As for the "vaccine".....I won't even start there. And no, I am not at anti-vaxer, I am just not having it. Personal choice in everything please.

vodkaredbullgirl · 15/09/2021 15:27

Been doing LFT since they came out, also PCR every week since last year. Work in care so don't have a problem doing them.

Infact I better do 1 now.

SweetBabyCheeses99 · 15/09/2021 15:38

I’m with you OP, it is too invasive and I wouldn’t be willing to do it either. Not just because it’s physically distressing, but philosophically so too. I think it’s a very strange state of affairs to have to prove your apparent health status in order to be able to participate in society, and represents a complete distortion of the actual risk.
There are around 200 known respiratory viruses that cause similar symptoms, will it be a test for each one? Will we have to go back and show all our childhood vaccinations? How will we deal with employees who are carriers of other infectious diseases?
It’s a strange old world in 2021 but the one thing I do know is the “emergency” won’t end until people stop testing.

FYI I’m not sure that “mandate” actually means anything legally so if I were you I’d just say no and see what happens. I’m sure the right to bodily autonomy and bodily integrity are both covered under Article 8 should it get to that.

kimlo · 15/09/2021 15:40

@SianyBabe1 the ones at school were self administered.

maddening · 15/09/2021 16:17

I believe that asking for a test is fine. If it makes you sick is it the throat sample that is the issue for you? Is so can you not just sample from your nose?

Biker47 · 16/09/2021 03:22

What evidence they asking for? If it's just the text you get from the LFT, just don't do the test and log it as negative anyways, then show them the text.

KihoBebiluPute · 16/09/2021 04:31

Nobody is going to witness you doing the tests.if you wanted to you could totally skip the swabbing altogether and no one would know. I am not recommending that!! However as pp say it is valid to just do a double- nasal swab instead of throat and nose, and that's with the older 30 minute tests too. It may be better to follow the instructions perfectly but no self-administered test is going to be executed perfectly so just doing what you can within th limits that you can tolerate is fine, and goes some way towards protecting your colleagues.

Theunamedcat · 16/09/2021 05:14

@SianyBabe1

The ones at school are NOT self administered and they DO include the stick down the throat.

The 2 I did were DIY ones, but I still threw up big time.

Sorry, it's child abuse and workplace bullying full stop !

The ones at school ARE self administered they are not allowed to do tests on your child they supervise your child doing the test

dentydown · 16/09/2021 06:24

For children, the LFTs (even the old ones) say swab both nostrils. My 16 year old physically cannot do the throat swab and when I tried physically fought me. (He couldn’t help it, it seemed to be a sensory reaction he was having) so we did the both nostrils.

Peteycat · 16/09/2021 07:21

I agree. Its wrong to demand this from people. Honestly I feel for you as its your job.

AlexaShutUp · 16/09/2021 07:25

@Etherel

But, aside from my personal issues, is this not just too invasive in general?

Thanks for the more personal advice, however, my question was more about the above.

No, I think it's a reasonable request.

Peteycat · 16/09/2021 09:56

"15:08Excelthetube

You could be THAT person
Or you could just do it up your nose and get on with life!"

Or you could be THAT person who has no value for people or their choices on sticking swabs up their nose. You are THAT person who has zero patience or tolerance for anyone who struggles because they are clearly some sort of mitigation/ lockdown fanatic.

Peteycat · 16/09/2021 09:57

Demanding people test is ridiculous.

SianyBabe1 · 21/09/2021 14:16

Just to let everyone know, my sister has found a lawer who is taking on the school for a case of child abuse for making her daughter physically sick with the test....AND IT WAS NOT SELF ADMINSTERED....LISTEN WILL YOU !!!!!!!....I hope they make them pay big time. People need to stand up to this scam.

vodkaredbullgirl · 21/09/2021 14:21

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