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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I just walked out of work over covid.

245 replies

organisedmother · 15/12/2021 13:12

When I arrived to work this morning my colleague told me that her friend she was with yesterday had just tested positive for covid and she has done a lft herself and was negative, she hasn’t done a pcr. I work in a very small space with no windows if she has picked up covid I’m more than likely going to get it from her as we share a till, toilet, fridge microwave in such a small space.

I said maybe she should of stayed home until she got a negative pcr, she was with this friend in her house having a drink,no masks of corse, windows shut, I feel like there is a 50/50 chance she will more than likely pick this up.

With Christmas so close and the schools finishing this week I thought is this worth the risk for a 3 hour shift when I could potentially pick this up and spread to my family.

I decided to go home and she said she understood their was a risk and is fine with it.

I feel a little guilty now, but I just keep thinking of the points…

-With her friend in a house chatting who has covid.
-we have no windows so are breathing each others air
-sharing everything at work
-schools closing tomorrow
-Xmas
-only lost out on £30

The nightmare and hassle it would of been if she does have it and I pick it up would of been catastrophic!

Would you of stayed or been out the door

OP posts:
Waterfallgirl · 15/12/2021 13:20

It’s a tricky one as she is following rules. But you have to do what’s best for you.
But your employer should be taking the additional measures required eg cleaning / especially shrewd items and spaces / masks if applicable ( is it a shop?) and ventilation.
Why don’t you have ventilation at work ? That’s the duty of your employer to have adequate ventilation and is a minimum requirement at the moment alongside other measures.

girlmom21 · 15/12/2021 13:21

The virus won't have incubated yet.

Original poster
organisedmother · 15/12/2021 13:21

Oh I wouldn’t lose my job no! I just explained if she had a negative pcr I would be comfortable with it, she totally understood and was nice about I said “I’m so sorry and I said I’m sure she will be fine” she’s a little worried herself to be honest.

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 15/12/2021 13:21

@MorningStarling

I have to laugh at the people who say she's doing nothing wrong because she's following the legal guidance. Do you all trust Boris and the Tories to have got the measures right? Weird because everyone seems to hate them at the minute and thinks they're completely untrustworthy!
What's the alternative? She takes the next two weeks off just in case?
BurntO · 15/12/2021 13:21

She is following guidance and needs her job I assume. YABU. It is rubbish though.

Envoitrevisage · 15/12/2021 13:22

Well I wouldn’t walk out if the friend of a colleague had noro, or flu, so no. I am triple vacced and getting on with it.

CheesyFootballsAreEvil · 15/12/2021 13:22

@organisedmother

Oh I wouldn’t lose my job no! I just explained if she had a negative pcr I would be comfortable with it, she totally understood and was nice about I said “I’m so sorry and I said I’m sure she will be fine” she’s a little worried herself to be honest.
That's alright then. No brainer to go home then.
Original poster
organisedmother · 15/12/2021 13:23

We work in a tiny shop and the front door leads to a shopping centre there is no fresh air nearby, she is absolutely doing all the correct measures.

OP posts:
Freddiefox · 15/12/2021 13:23

@MorningStarling

I have to laugh at the people who say she's doing nothing wrong because she's following the legal guidance. Do you all trust Boris and the Tories to have got the measures right? Weird because everyone seems to hate them at the minute and thinks they're completely untrustworthy!
It’s irrelevant whether your trust Boris or not. Mans a twat but you can’t just close your business because you’ve been In contact with someone whose had covid. You’d have no staff to run it.
Original poster
organisedmother · 15/12/2021 13:24

That’s what she said

OP posts:
maa32 · 15/12/2021 13:24

But was that 3 hour shift worth potentially losing your job? I'm not being funny, I am really anxious about covid and I've followed the rules from day 1 but you're just as likely to pick up
Covid from the supermarket etc than the exposure from your friend, she hasn't tested positive yet and she did an lft.

I think you overreacted. If you're clinically vulnerable then fair enough but otherwise I'd of just continued my shift

5keletor · 15/12/2021 13:24

What a compete and utter tit (her). Maybe she doesn't legally need to isolate, but you'd hope people would have the basic common sense to do a PCR before possibly exposing other people. I'd have done the same, OP.

sst1234 · 15/12/2021 13:25

You are being irrational OP. What does your employer have to say about it? Would be surprised if they are ok with people walking out because a colleague’s contact tested positive.

Dontforgetyourbrolly · 15/12/2021 13:25

hahahaha where will this all end .
OP the next stranger you stand next to could be full of covid and you will never know and catch it anyway .
This is one of those ' I'm so good and saintly please pat me on the back ' posts .
Hope you are the actual owner or manager of this business you can just walk away from !

CheesyFootballsAreEvil · 15/12/2021 13:25

Manager should have told her to go home. The customers need to be kept safe

Original poster
organisedmother · 15/12/2021 13:25

Will not be losing job, just unpaid

OP posts:
ClearButtons · 15/12/2021 13:26

@MorningStarling

I have to laugh at the people who say she's doing nothing wrong because she's following the legal guidance. Do you all trust Boris and the Tories to have got the measures right? Weird because everyone seems to hate them at the minute and thinks they're completely untrustworthy!
Not everyone can take a day off every time they've been in contact with someone who's tested positive. Most companies won't pay you
girlmom21 · 15/12/2021 13:26

@5keletor

What a compete and utter tit (her). Maybe she doesn't legally need to isolate, but you'd hope people would have the basic common sense to do a PCR before possibly exposing other people. I'd have done the same, OP.
What difference is a PCR going to make? She's got no symptoms and did a LFT.

The virus won't have incubated yet. She only had contact yesterday.

Notthissticky · 15/12/2021 13:26

@MorningStarling

You were right to leave. But she should have stayed at home until she's had confirmation from a PCR test. It's probably better than 50/50, odds are more likely she hasn't got it, but it's people who don't isolate when they've not had a negative PCR that are the cause of the virus spreading.
Someone had better tell the government then, as those people aren't breaking any rules if they're not symptomatic!
Beautiful3 · 15/12/2021 13:27

She didn't do anything wrong. How do you know that the chances are 50/50? YABU.

Freddiefox · 15/12/2021 13:27

@organisedmother

Will not be losing job, just unpaid
How long for op? Just the day? Or the next 10 or 12?
JSL52 · 15/12/2021 13:27

@MorningStarling

You were right to leave. But she should have stayed at home until she's had confirmation from a PCR test. It's probably better than 50/50, odds are more likely she hasn't got it, but it's people who don't isolate when they've not had a negative PCR that are the cause of the virus spreading.
Why would her colleague need a PCR test ? If you've got someone positive in the house you can go to work or school if you're jabbed.
Original poster
organisedmother · 15/12/2021 13:27

Good and saintly I like tht thanks! Was more like a uhhh i don’t like how we are sharing air.

OP posts:
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 15/12/2021 13:28

Surely if you are working in a tiy little unventilated shop handling stock, cash and face to face with customers, you are likely exposed to covid relentlessly?

MeltedButter · 15/12/2021 13:28

@MorningStarling

You were right to leave. But she should have stayed at home until she's had confirmation from a PCR test. It's probably better than 50/50, odds are more likely she hasn't got it, but it's people who don't isolate when they've not had a negative PCR that are the cause of the virus spreading.
No PCR tests are only if you have symptoms. It's always been that way.
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