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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Colleague started coughing and sniffling halfway through the day but just sat there

496 replies

JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 17:27

This isn't a guy who has allergies or anything, it just came on all of a sudden.
I legged it after an hour or two of his random coughs and sniffles. AIBU here or should he have buggered off to WFH after the 3rd or 4th cough? Fun, the wait begins!

OP posts:
REDHERO · 29/10/2021 16:41

@gluteustothemaximus

What's with the every bloody cough is covid at the moment. So over the top

That's not it. At all.

We have this amazing system called, getting tested for covid with a PCR. Then we know.

But it's good to know that many people with a cough, aren't getting tested, as they know it's a cold.

Maybe that's why there's a lot of arsey replies on this thread OP. They're the ones coughing Grin

There's a lot of stupid assumptions that everyone that coughs hasn't had a test. I cough I est often and I don't have covid. Others cough and they test and don't have covid. So many people assume coughs are covid or that people don't test. Strange. OP comes along with her AIBU and vast majority say yes and she gets arsed. Grin
Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 29/10/2021 16:48

Well, he apologised on teams for being a twat and has had a PCR. Should find out over the weekend if he's positive.

OP posts:
turnthebiglightoff · 29/10/2021 17:27

Can't wait for OP to come back over the weekend and gleefully tell us that her co worker is positive.

We cannot stop the world for this anymore. If you're pregnant and this anxious about a cough and a sneeze here and there, WORK FROM HOME. Or go sick for the rest of your pregnancy.

And stay away from people.

Gandalfsthong · 29/10/2021 17:31

He should take a lateral flow test. We had this in our office, it was positive she went home and ordered a PCR test. Simples

Not sure why people are so hysterical about this, it would piss me off too. We are all going to be susceptible to all colds/flu this year so why come into the office if you are sick?? Just work from home if you can. I’ve never gone for so long without being ill it has been amazing

SlugRose · 29/10/2021 17:38

@JesusIsAnyNameFree

Well, he apologised on teams for being a twat and has had a PCR. Should find out over the weekend if he's positive.
Good. He could kill someone.
Barrequeen · 29/10/2021 17:46

Absolutely bemused by all of these comments.., YANBU at all…who in their right minds goes into the office with a cough .. I live in London, cases are high, we are mainly working from home and are not allowed in the office if we are coughing or unwell. I certainly wouldn’t do that to others and yes if I felt unwell or was coughing I would get up and go home. Maybe none of you have Covid policies at work? We certainly do and I’m grateful for that!

Barney60 · 29/10/2021 17:48

A friend of mine a couple of weeks ago was sat near me, had the shivers, no cough no cold no temp. Just shivery.
Worked through it thinking had a heavy cold on the way.
Went home took a LFT positive! Sent for PCR also positive.
2 others also went down with it over the next couple of days!
YANBU, ask management to keep LFT in office can test soon as feel off colour.
Yes it could of been flu, cold or any other bug around, but had we known sooner PERHAPS we could of sanitised the office and kitchen maybe just maybe stopped 1 or both of the others going down with it.

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 29/10/2021 17:58

@turnthebiglightoff

Can't wait for OP to come back over the weekend and gleefully tell us that her co worker is positive.

We cannot stop the world for this anymore. If you're pregnant and this anxious about a cough and a sneeze here and there, WORK FROM HOME. Or go sick for the rest of your pregnancy.

And stay away from people.

Gleefully? Are you for real?
OP posts:
Angie1403 · 29/10/2021 17:59

I’m not into have any germ factories near me regardless of the germ they’re harbouring. It’s just rude to be around people who are currently healthy and who you will make poorly. Why should everyone else have to suffer?!

Needtodietnow · 29/10/2021 18:00

I don’t think you are being unreasonable at all. Symptoms of the delta variant are similar to cold symptoms. If someone has the option to work from home then they absolutely should if they have any symptoms. Even if it isn’t covid, it isn’t great to spread colds around at the moment. I was really ill a few weeks ago with a cold and still haven’t fully recovered. I dread to think how bad I would have been if I had caught covid on top of the cold.

Wowyouareboring · 29/10/2021 18:02

🤦‍♀️

mrsdaltongrant · 29/10/2021 18:02

@JesusIsAnyNameFree if you've sat next to him for years then surely you know him well enough to say "John if you're coughing and sniffing you've got to go home mate!?"

NeedAHoliday2021 · 29/10/2021 18:03

I’m my work you’d go straight home and book a PCR. I know everyone is cool about covid on mn but those of us working in hospitals around the country are seeing outbreaks picking up and we’re cancelling planned surgery. Last week we even had to cancel cancer surgery (we do not do that lightly but there was no safe way for it to go ahead). But mnetters will tell you you’re too anxious and that the rules are only guidance that can be ignored if you think it’s a cold rather than covid - instinct over pcr tests.

TickyTacky · 29/10/2021 18:04

Ahhh the world of mumsnet. A reasonable response by OP (running away from an infectious person) means you get ripped to pieces and told you're the eejit for trying to avoid the thing that caused a global pandemic - or any other illness for that matter.
He's selfish. You're self aware.

TickyTacky · 29/10/2021 18:07

Every single person I know who has had covid within the past 8 weeks has had the most awful cold symptoms with it. I had severe cold symptoms before it turned into covid pneumonia and a double infection. Unfortunately I caught it from my asymptomatic son after somebody kept sending their poorly child into school and caused 45-50 cases. Another example of selfishness.

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 29/10/2021 18:09

@NeedAHoliday2021

I’m my work you’d go straight home and book a PCR. I know everyone is cool about covid on mn but those of us working in hospitals around the country are seeing outbreaks picking up and we’re cancelling planned surgery. Last week we even had to cancel cancer surgery (we do not do that lightly but there was no safe way for it to go ahead). But mnetters will tell you you’re too anxious and that the rules are only guidance that can be ignored if you think it’s a cold rather than covid - instinct over pcr tests.
That poor personSad Yet mumsnet will tell you these surgeries are cancelled due to things like restrictions, not because covid is running rampant.
OP posts:
Iggly · 29/10/2021 18:14

I guess he could have popped a mask on at least.

I started coughing in the office the other day but luckily it was only me and one other person a few metres away and the windows were open. I had at least done a LFT (I always do before I go to work just in case).

skippink · 29/10/2021 18:40

I really hope your opinion is in the minority 🤦🏻‍♀️*@JesusIsAnyNameFree*

Stovetopespresso · 29/10/2021 18:43

yeah op I had this, it was my first day though so I just looked wide eyed at my line manager who gently asked the coughing colleague if he was feeling OK (coughing, sweating, asking repeatedly for air con to be raised, chugging water). he said yes (obvs) but had done a neg lft.

so all good I guess - its OK to ask imo!

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 29/10/2021 18:48

@skippink

I really hope your opinion is in the minority 🤦🏻‍♀️**@JesusIsAnyNameFree**
Oh, it is on mumsnet but not in the real world, so you're in the right place!
OP posts:
ufucoffee · 29/10/2021 18:52

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Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 29/10/2021 19:01

@ufucoffee

I really hope you now wear full ppe at work from now on OP. Just in case anyone has a cold. You sound batshit loopy btw.
Care to elaborate?

Now, I know sometimes life is tough and unfair and it can be a nice release to come on a forum/SM and attempt to put other people down, but when you don't actually explain how or why you think they're "stupid" "batshit" etc., it just looks silly.

For what it's worth, my release is a game called CSGO. It's a fantastic way to blow off some steam (and some heads).

OP posts:
Skysblue · 29/10/2021 19:14

I think if he started coughing he should have either left or explained that eg he had something tickling his throat / had tested negative etc.

I accidentally breathed in a load of cigarette smoke the other day. I’ve got sensitive throat or whatever and it gave me a tickly cough that took an hour to fade. Same situation when I got tonsil stones. So is possible he knows why he’s coughing.

But yanbu expecting him to either explain or leave, in a pandemic.

Maybebaby8 · 29/10/2021 19:21

This is so unreasonable, if my work was like this we would be shut 24/7 and no one's children would be at school Confused . People get colds. Covid unfortunately isn't just going to dissappear it's going to be a seasonal virus. Such an overreaction

ufucoffee · 29/10/2021 19:30

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