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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask would you go to work atm with a head cold.

28 replies

Tootsey11 · 20/10/2021 21:17

Just that really, both ds and I have this rotten head cold going round. I'm a cleaner in other people's homes. I am fit to work but do not like taking my germs into someone else's house. My head feels lousy but the rest of me is fine.

I hate taking time off and so far this week all clients have asked me to continue.

Would you go to work, are people still going into offices etc with this, or am I stupid for even asking.

OP posts:
Midlander88 · 20/10/2021 21:27

Depends on the sick pay. When I worked in retail and had no sick pay I went in with a kidney infection (I was sent home after 30 minutes), and as a result, all the staff were infecting each other and customers on an almost continuous loop. It was awful, but what option is there if you need the cash?

Lots of people in offices like to act like work martyrs and come in with colds, and everyone gets annoyed about it.

I would say do what you need to do, but if you don't need to (ie, you get sick pay), stay home.

Hollyhead · 20/10/2021 21:28

I’m wfh but I have a job where I can and we’ve been asked to wfh if feeling unwell with anything. To be honest I feel so grotty I don’t really feel up to cleaning!

purpleme12 · 20/10/2021 21:31

If I feel well

purpleme12 · 20/10/2021 21:31

If I feel well enough to work yes
Our work is back to business as usual though so they would expect you to if you feel well enough to work

mummabubs · 20/10/2021 21:34

Pre-covid I'd have said absolutely go in if you feel able to. But given the current climate I'd want you to have been PCR tested before entering my home as the delta variant presents more as a cold than "traditional" covid. Hope you feel better soon OP

KaycePollard · 20/10/2021 21:38

Wear a mask, and gloves (which you might wear anyway, as a cleaner!)

Lostmarbles2021 · 20/10/2021 21:40

mummabubs

Pre-covid I'd have said absolutely go in if you feel able to. But given the current climate I'd want you to have been PCR tested before entering my home as the delta variant presents more as a cold than "traditional" covid. Hope you feel better soon OP

This. And I’d say to give yourself the rest you need too, if you can.

LizzieSiddal · 20/10/2021 21:43

Are the people at home when you’re cleaning?
If not I would go in if you feel ok, I’d wear a mask and open Windows for ventilation.

I’ve got the same cold and will not go to book club tomorrow as we will be in a smallish room and I don’t want to be sneezing amongst people.

RhubarbRocks · 20/10/2021 21:44

Our cleaner told us today she couldn’t come in as she has a heavy cold and doesn’t feel well enough but offered to come tomorrow. We told her to stay home and get well and hopefully see her next week. We are still paying her for today. Not just about Covid - I don’t want a cold that makes me feel that rough either!

Empressofthemundane · 20/10/2021 21:45

I’m an office worker and can work remotely. It’s harder when you have to physically be there. I think you can only ask your clients and be guided by their wishes.

RuthW · 20/10/2021 21:47

We have to stay off with a cold until we get a neg pcr.

If you have got a neg pcr then go in. If not, go snd get a test.

Original poster
Tootsey11 · 20/10/2021 21:48

I should have said we both tested negative on pcr. Sorry brain not working. One house tomorrow occupied one empty.

OP posts:
BeautifulTulips · 20/10/2021 21:49

Yes, I'm a teacher and at the moment almost every member of staff, and every child has got a heavy cold! If we all stayed off for a cold the school would close. Can you imagine the press?!

Original poster
Tootsey11 · 20/10/2021 21:54

Cleaning a house is a bit different to sitting in a class though.

I'm asking more from the germ perspective and spreading what I have around others.

OP posts:
LizzieSiddal · 20/10/2021 21:59

If you open the windows and wear a mask you should be fine, as long as you have a neg Lateral flow test and feel ok working.

walksen · 20/10/2021 21:59

Seeing as I get no sick pay and have to work on site yes I would go in (dosed up the eyeballs with paracetamol and ibuprofen if necessary)

Original poster
Tootsey11 · 20/10/2021 22:06

Thanks everyone, off to bed to see can I sleep. My skin is burning but my temp is 35. Going to wait and see how I feel in the morning, hate letting anyone down as I'm never off. Appreciate all comments.

OP posts:
DreamerSeven · 20/10/2021 22:09

No I wouldn’t go, I had cold symptoms that turned out to be Covid - daily lateral flow tests were negative until day 3 of symptoms so I’d have been spreading it round whilst thinking I was fine.

noblegreenk · 20/10/2021 22:34

I did a few weeks ago. I do get sick pay but we're very short staffed at the mo. I spoke to my manager and explained first. She asked me to do a lateral flow test and said as long as it was negative she was happy for me to be in the office. We are still shit hot on our anti covid measures though. So no ones allowed to sit at my desk except me, social distancing (large office and reduced staff capacity), mask wearing when moving around office, frequent cleaning with d10 spray, hand sanitising etc.

toocold54 · 20/10/2021 23:11

I’ve had what you have. I went in for a few days until I physically couldn’t as I was just too ill so I had last Thursday and Friday off which also gave me the weekend to recover, I was still poorly but not as bad.

I would see how you feel in yourself, sometimes you just need a day off wise you’re ill for longer.

tulippa · 20/10/2021 23:30

Yes I have been this week. Something needed doing and there was no-one else to do it. I was snotty but felt ok in myself and did lateral flow tests and wore a mask.
If I'd have stayed at home while having cold symptoms I'd have been off work for two weeks!

DeepaBeesKit · 21/10/2021 09:12

The problem is head colds are so so common and essentially unavoidable at this time of year. It's a mild condition and if everyone stopped work every time they had a head cold we would be fucked as a society and an economy.

If your clients are happy for you to attend and you are fit to work, I don't see what the issue is with you working. Assume you have done a lat flow test as a minimum though?

If you are feeling congested and sluggish, take some pseudoephedrine, paracetamol, ibuprofen etc, they really do make a difference.

DeepaBeesKit · 21/10/2021 09:14

Also as a cleaner you can easily wear a mask and use marigolds, which will reduce the chance of you passing things on. The fact that you are using cleaning products will also help, your hands at least will be clean.

Rosebel · 21/10/2021 09:18

I work in retail so no sick pay until SSP kicks in.
Had a rotten cold for nearly 2 weeks now, although it's much better than iit was and worked through but have been wearing a mask.
Need to pay the bills so just have to carry on.

Kyliealwayshadthebestdisco · 21/10/2021 09:33

If you mean what you say about caring about spreading germs to others, then get a PCR test, delta can present like this and COVID risk is the main concern (people are used to getting colds and would never have thought twice about working with a cold pre COVID, indeed if a colleague took time off with a cold I would think WTF?! And I am a doctor). If it’s negative then you have done more to avoid infection risk to your clients than many others would even think of doing sadly and I think fine to carry on.