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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:
KingsleyShacklebolt · 30/10/2021 10:01

@CampagVelocet

Why ask if you're being unreasonable, and then announce that you know you aren't? You are, by the way. Coughs and colds continue to exist.
Tell me about it, I have a cracker of a cold this morning. Thanks kids.

People really have lost all sense of perspective and reasonable-ness, haven't they?

Mygirlruby · 30/10/2021 10:17

I think anyone who has cold symptoms and goes to or stays at work, if they can go home, is very selfish. Just watch everyone in your workplace getting sick, it happens all the time and you'd think people would have learned something from Covid, like viruses spread easily?

Suspiciousmind20 · 30/10/2021 10:57

KingsleyShacklebolt

CampagVelocet
Why ask if you're being unreasonable, and then announce that you know you aren't? You are, by the way. Coughs and colds continue to exist.

People really have lost all sense of perspective and reasonable-ness, haven't they?

It’s not unreasonable to expect each other to check out whether it’s Covid when you get symptoms. Other colds and viruses are existing alongside COVID-19 and appear in a very similar way. The only way to know if it’s ‘just a cold’ is to test. That’s what the OP expected her colleague to do. It’s what any decent human being should do.

Also, this winter, because of the situation we are in, it makes sense not to spread any viruses too wide. It’s just sensible given that hospitals are so stretched. It’s not a loss of perspective driven by anxiety. It’s just a sensible response to a global pandemic and it’s effects.

Gwenhwyfar · 30/10/2021 11:31

@Mygirlruby

I think anyone who has cold symptoms and goes to or stays at work, if they can go home, is very selfish. Just watch everyone in your workplace getting sick, it happens all the time and you'd think people would have learned something from Covid, like viruses spread easily?
In Covid times, yes, otherwise, no. You can't avoid a cold for your whole life.
Timescale · 30/10/2021 11:53

Yeah I don’t want other’s germs in covid times or not. If you can WFH then why wouldn’t you until you felt a bit better?

TheChiefJo · 30/10/2021 12:43

I personally think presenteeism is a bad thing if it leads to people working around others when they have any contagious virus, but it depends on the kind of work you do whether you can just be off.

Midnightshopping · 30/10/2021 13:55

I don’t want your bloody cold either. It can make me seriously ill to the point of needing hospitalisation! If you have the option to work from home you should.

Gwenhwyfar · 30/10/2021 13:56

@Midnightshopping

I don’t want your bloody cold either. It can make me seriously ill to the point of needing hospitalisation! If you have the option to work from home you should.
But if you're immuno-depressed, maybe you're the one who should work from home. You can't expect everyone to stay at home at the smallest sign of the sniffles, at least outside of Covid times. Life goes on for everyone else. Also, people are contagious before symptoms show so you might have caught it already by the time the person stays home.
Bard6817 · 30/10/2021 14:18

Another OP who i would love to block us the lesson i’ve learnt here.

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 30/10/2021 14:32

@IAteTheLastOne

I'll let you chew on that one, sweetheart.

OP posts:
IAteTheLastOne · 30/10/2021 14:39

[quote JesusIsAnyNameFree]@IAteTheLastOne

I'll let you chew on that one, sweetheart.[/quote]
👍🏼

Timescale · 30/10/2021 14:57

I’m not immunosuppressed and strangely enough I still don’t want someone else’s cold. It annoys me when people tell vulnerable people that they should stay home. Why should the vulnerable be condemned to living a shadow life?

I’m firmly of the view that we can all live a fairly normal life if we just act a little bit more considerately towards each other. I’d include not coming into work when you have a cold if you can easily WFH as an example of that. If you can work from home easily what are you achieving by dragging yourself into the office and snotting all over everyone? I can almost guarantee you that nobody is thinking how dedicated you are; most of them are probably just wanting you to piss off home and hoping you don’t infect them and potentially mess up their plans.

Suspiciousmind20 · 30/10/2021 15:05

Timescale

I’m not immunosuppressed and strangely enough I still don’t want someone else’s cold. It annoys me when people tell vulnerable people that they should stay home. Why should the vulnerable be condemned to living a shadow life?

I’m firmly of the view that we can all live a fairly normal life if we just act a little bit more considerately towards each other. I’d include not coming into work when you have a cold if you can easily WFH as an example of that. If you can work from home easily what are you achieving by dragging yourself into the office and snotting all over everyone? I can almost guarantee you that nobody is thinking how dedicated you are; most of them are probably just wanting you to piss off home and hoping you don’t infect them and potentially mess up their plans.

Yup. Agree.

VanillaAndOrange · 30/10/2021 16:16

Who TF wears a mask in an office?!

Someone who works in an office with more than one person in it?

Offmyfence · 30/10/2021 17:19

@Timescale

I’m not immunosuppressed and strangely enough I still don’t want someone else’s cold. It annoys me when people tell vulnerable people that they should stay home. Why should the vulnerable be condemned to living a shadow life?

I’m firmly of the view that we can all live a fairly normal life if we just act a little bit more considerately towards each other. I’d include not coming into work when you have a cold if you can easily WFH as an example of that. If you can work from home easily what are you achieving by dragging yourself into the office and snotting all over everyone? I can almost guarantee you that nobody is thinking how dedicated you are; most of them are probably just wanting you to piss off home and hoping you don’t infect them and potentially mess up their plans.

You only want your own cold?
Timescale · 30/10/2021 18:06

@Offmyfence - what is the purpose of your question? My post was clear. I was asking everyone to be more considerate where possible.

I’m sure you wouldn’t waste your time though posting a question without any purpose. So could you explain it to me please?

connffussed · 30/10/2021 19:09

*So are you saying you are actively spreading this rotten and terrible virus around and if anyone asked you not to, they would be in the wrong?

Yes, of course not every virus virus is Covid. But you can’t tell without testing. The OPs colleague should have gone home and tested rather than sitting in an office coughing. Yes people can hang around at home, and wait to see if the cough is Covid. Especially if they can work from home like the man in the OP.*

I did say I have regularly tested to be sure Smile

Not exactly going out of my way spreading it around. Keeping my distance and not kissing/hugging/shaking hands, but going about my daily life as necessary and not hiding away because of it.

Offmyfence · 30/10/2021 19:22

[quote Timescale]@Offmyfence - what is the purpose of your question? My post was clear. I was asking everyone to be more considerate where possible.

I’m sure you wouldn’t waste your time though posting a question without any purpose. So could you explain it to me please?[/quote]
Life will go one for ever with the common cold! It's never going to change.

Change plans, because you've got a common cold, just why?

Offmyfence · 30/10/2021 19:22

[quote Timescale]@Offmyfence - what is the purpose of your question? My post was clear. I was asking everyone to be more considerate where possible.

I’m sure you wouldn’t waste your time though posting a question without any purpose. So could you explain it to me please?[/quote]
Hope my explanation helps you......

Cas112 · 30/10/2021 19:45

OP asked if she’s being unreasonable but she’s gonna argue with anyone that’s says she is 🙄😂😂😂😂😂😂

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 30/10/2021 21:19

The so very obvious common cold is covid. Don't imagine it will make most of you think twice next time you are coughing/sniffling/feeling ropey, but maybe it'll make one or two of you get tested instead of deciding it's absolutely fine to go about business as usual.

I'm fairly unlikely to get it as I wear an ffp2 mask that actually does protect the wearer, unlike peoples fancy fabric creations. He sadly had close contact with others on my team though in the days leading up to his symptoms.

OP posts:
Offmyfence · 30/10/2021 22:45

@JesusIsAnyNameFree

The so very obvious common cold is covid. Don't imagine it will make most of you think twice next time you are coughing/sniffling/feeling ropey, but maybe it'll make one or two of you get tested instead of deciding it's absolutely fine to go about business as usual.

I'm fairly unlikely to get it as I wear an ffp2 mask that actually does protect the wearer, unlike peoples fancy fabric creations. He sadly had close contact with others on my team though in the days leading up to his symptoms.

So why all the bloody drama???

God you're hard work OP!

Are you always like this, or just when you're pregnant and more pregnant than others.

I hasten to say the obvious

OP AIBU

MN YES

OP
No I'm not, I'm right, I'm pregnant, I'm better than you, you're all stupid, I'm definitely right blah blah

Very tedious and boring.

Offmyfence · 30/10/2021 22:46

@JesusIsAnyNameFree

The so very obvious common cold is covid. Don't imagine it will make most of you think twice next time you are coughing/sniffling/feeling ropey, but maybe it'll make one or two of you get tested instead of deciding it's absolutely fine to go about business as usual.

I'm fairly unlikely to get it as I wear an ffp2 mask that actually does protect the wearer, unlike peoples fancy fabric creations. He sadly had close contact with others on my team though in the days leading up to his symptoms.

Oh how convenient.... it's now Covid.... obviously!
Pumperthepumper · 30/10/2021 22:49

@Offmyfence the AIBU script being rolled out is pretty tedious and boring too, tbf.

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 30/10/2021 22:52

@Offmyfence

'now'? I imagine it was covid since Thursday.

OP posts: