To avoid meeting with colleague day 10 post covid.

[Halloweenrainbow]

I have a face-to-face meeting scheduled with a colleague who has been off with symptomatic covid. The meeting is on the first day of their return - day 11. To be clear it's perfectly possible to hold this meeting remotely but everyone else wants to do it FTF. I understand that most people are less likely to be contagious at this stage but a small risk remains and I would rather not take any chances and bring covid home to vulnerable relatives.

What are your thoughts?

YABU - They are very unlikely to pose a risk by day 10. Get on with the meeting face-to-face.

YANBU - Some people are still contagious beyond day 10. Why risk it when you can hold the meeting remotely.

Again, what about all the teachers, police, paramedics, nurses, shop workers etc who all go back to work after 10 days - they all deal with the public, in some cases in v close proximity? They don't get the choice to not work.

I’d be concerned too. Try and make sure the the room is as well ventilated as it can be

Yanbu. If you can meet remotely then what is the point of face to face in this situation?

I've just recovered from Covid and made the decision not to go into the office for the first week post isolation because A) I still felt rubbish and B) I am able to do my job remotely and it didn't feel right seeing people on day 11.

I understand what people are saying about those that have to go into work after isolation and have no choice...but if you are in a role that can be performed remotely why risk it?

It's not a nice virus and despite DH and I being double vaccinated, in our 40s and fit and healthy, it has been pretty debilitating and I just wouldn't want others to take the risk.

@Claymorekick

Again, what about all the teachers, police, paramedics, nurses, shop workers etc who all go back to work after 10 days - they all deal with the public, in some cases in v close proximity? They don't get the choice to not work.

I think our posts are invisible, @Claymorekick

We're not going to get an answer.

@Claymorekick

Again, what about all the teachers, police, paramedics, nurses, shop workers etc who all go back to work after 10 days - they all deal with the public, in some cases in v close proximity? They don't get the choice to not work.

Difference there is that the OP can do her job safely without being f2f. Why make it worse for the teachers, police, paramedics etc. by having more people infected, putting them at greater risk? Also, it feels a bit off mentioning paramedics and nurses, seeing as their jobs are much easier if they don't have people needing their help after catching covid when they really didn't need to, for example in a f2f meeting that could have just been remote.

@Claymorekick

Again, what about all the teachers, police, paramedics, nurses, shop workers etc who all go back to work after 10 days - they all deal with the public, in some cases in v close proximity? They don't get the choice to not work.

This is a ridiculous argument. Paramedics, nurses, shop workers etc are all irrelevant to OP’s job, they are not affected by OP working from home

And how typical for you to say ‘they don’t get the choice to not work’. Working from home IS working! Stop dismissing the work of those who work from home, many can do their jobs just as well from their homes as from the office.

Just get on with it and wear a mask if you feel more comfortable

Covid is here to stay it isn’t going away

Anyone you come into contact with could have it

Where I live the mandatory isolation period is 14 days - at least. 10 days sounds dangerous to me - but FWIW, I would try to attend this meeting remotely.

@PinkiOcelot

Isn’t that what the wonder vaccine is for?

So pleased to see someone recognise that the vaccine is indeed a wonder of science! Great to see that you’re completely familiar both with the pharmacological mechanism of the vaccines available and the years of scientific research and advancement that have made them possible.

@Iggly I know that. Have you missed the vaccine threads on here where everyone jumps on others not wanting to vaccinate. It’s the be all and all don’t you know!!

[quote PinkiOcelot]@Iggly I know that. Have you missed the vaccine threads on here where everyone jumps on others not wanting to vaccinate. It’s the be all and all don’t you know!![/quote]
Well that’s certainly how our government presents it.

Having the vaccine significantly reduces the chances of getting Covid and the symptoms/complications associated with it if you do get it, so yes that is wonderful.

And if people who don't have to mix with others as part of their job (eg office workers) when they are potentially still infectious avoid such mixing then they are helping those who do have to mix (eg NHS workers and teachers) by reducing overall chances of transmission.

As an office worker I could just as easily moan that when I have to self-isolate because of Covid contact but asymptomatic I am still expected to WFH whereas if I was a paramedic I'd get the 10 days off to do what I wanted in my own home. But that would be petty wouldn't it?

@ButtonSister

Having the vaccine significantly reduces the chances of getting Covid and the symptoms/complications associated with it if you do get it, so yes that is wonderful.

And if people who don't have to mix with others as part of their job (eg office workers) when they are potentially still infectious avoid such mixing then they are helping those who do have to mix (eg NHS workers and teachers) by reducing overall chances of transmission.

As an office worker I could just as easily moan that when I have to self-isolate because of Covid contact but asymptomatic I am still expected to WFH whereas if I was a paramedic I'd get the 10 days off to do what I wanted in my own home. But that would be petty wouldn't it?

I've actually been working (from home) all last week with symptomatic Covid - not bad enough not to work 🤷‍♀️

I think my comments about emergency workers/teachers etc has been misconstrued- what I meant was that you could come into contact at any point in your lives with somebody who is on day 11 or 12.

Also, in response to the pp about home working - just to clarify I was not implying wfh is not working I wfh predominantly myself so absolutely know that it is working!

I caught Covid 3 months after my second of two vaccinations, so even the 5/6 month post vaccine window mentioned earlier clearly isn't applicable to all.

On day 11 I was twchnically free to go out again as I didn't have any 'key' symptoms. However, I had sinus issues, phlegm, awful headaches and fatigue/dizziness. I still felt a risk to others. I would not have wanted to meet 'me' if I were a colleague.

It's taken 6 weeks to start to feel ok. I'm late 40s.

Update - I avoided the meeting. After thinking about it the dates didn't add up and I was not confident the individual completed a full 10 days of quarantine - either they worked 2 days with symptoms before being tested or they returned on day 9. Either way, I decided there was no way I would risk catching a potentially deadly disease for a pointless meeting that could be held remotely. I accept that I will probably catch covid at some point but at least whatever happens I can say I did my best to protect the health of my family. Now...if only there was a way to avoid being unpopular at work for the forseable future

Good for you OP! You did the smart thing given the context. And no one is worse off for it.

Totally with you, OP. The arguments about other workers having to go in after 10 days aren't relevant here, it's about avoiding the risk wherever possible, and you can - and did.

It sounds like OP might well be worse off for it judging by the end of her last post.

I wouldn’t be keen myself and would avoid.

The isolation period used to be 14 days but for some reason the government changed it to 10 days. I would err on the side of caution and ask for a remote meeting

You have a small chance of catching covid from your colleague if you meet her face to face.
You have zero chance of catching covid from your colleague if you don’t meet her.

If I had vulnerable relatives at home I know which course of action I’d choose.

And I know you can catch it anywhere, but why take unnecessary risks?.

"the dates didn't add up and I was not confident the individual completed a full 10 days of quarantine - either they worked 2 days with symptoms before being tested or they returned on day 9".

I think this happens a lot. T&T sometimes release people on the 10th day rather than the 11th. We had a contact isolation date from DD's nursery that took the contact back to a Sunday which made no sense.

I’d be more worried about the colleague going that haven’t had it tbh.

If the meeting can be done via Teams and I had a vulnerable relative I would insist on doing it that way.

I wish people would stop comparing office workers with teachers, retail workers etc all the time. It is a false comparison. If those of us who can work at home do, we reduce the risk for everyone.

It's an arbitrary cut off thats enough for public health purposes i.e. preventing hospital overwhelm.
Personally I'd not go. And say I was ill if necessary.