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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Staff testing positive

76 replies

Boo65 · 22/12/2021 23:50

I run a pub with a very small team. Two staff have tested positive in two days, I think this is the beginning for us. Would i be being unreasonable to think that it's just 'a cold' what happened 3/4 years ago.... you just got on with it. These are young people in their late 20's. This is what is going to close businesses, not a lockdown!

OP posts:
Keepitonthedownlow · 22/12/2021 23:52

Well unless you know something that the entire scientific community doesn't.... YABVU

LadyCatStark · 22/12/2021 23:52

It’s not the young people’s fault though, they have to isolate if they test positive whether it’s ‘like a cold’ or not.

Original poster
Boo65 · 22/12/2021 23:52

I meant to say, what happened 3/4 years ago when people caught a cold

OP posts:
melj1213 · 22/12/2021 23:55

Yabvu

NMC2022 · 22/12/2021 23:55

It's not a cold though is it Confused we don't vaccinate or have lockdowns or test for colds

Original poster
Boo65 · 22/12/2021 23:55

@LadyCatStark

It’s not the young people’s fault though, they have to isolate if they test positive whether it’s ‘like a cold’ or not.
Obviously I know that, and as an employer have done the right thing. I'm just saying that all the science is saying it's not serious as in hospitalisation. The whole country will grind to a halt if something isn't done sharpish
OP posts:
Raquelos · 22/12/2021 23:56

YABVU. They will be contagious so unless you are planning to put a sign in the window to warn your customers, then letting them work in a customer facing role is extremely irresponsible.

BluebellsGreenbells · 22/12/2021 23:57

This is what is going to close businesses, not a lockdown!

Totally agree. With no government support a lot of businesses will have to close temporally to allow staff time to isolate.
The amount of young people who work in shop/restaurants/service/ who keep the economy going in minimum wage in public rich environments have been grossly underestimated.
DD 18 works in a shop, nightclub and attends college
DD16 works in a bakery Saturday’s and food van 3 evenings
DS works at a hotel restaurant two evenings and a cafe sundays

All wouldn’t be paid by government if off I’ll, all on pretty much zero hours contracts (complete farce) so would lose pay and no sick benefits . Luckily they live at home with no real outgoings.

Original poster
Boo65 · 22/12/2021 23:57

@NMC2022

It's not a cold though is it Confused we don't vaccinate or have lockdowns or test for colds
How confused are you? Look at the stats, nobody is dying from this variant. It's essentially a cold
OP posts:
sarah13xx · 22/12/2021 23:58

Must be so frustrating as a business and yeah for a lot of people (including my partner just now as me and the baby sleep in the spare room to avoid him), it is just a cold but it’s the death rates they’re trying to work out as omicron is so new and also the fact that older people most likely wouldn’t get off so lightly. My partner won’t ever listen to me about covid and I think this will just have added to his argument when I try to be sensible because it’s ‘just a cold’ 🙄

Original poster
Boo65 · 22/12/2021 23:59

@Raquelos

YABVU. They will be contagious so unless you are planning to put a sign in the window to warn your customers, then letting them work in a customer facing role is extremely irresponsible.
I did say in my previous post that as an employer I'm doing the responsible thing.....
OP posts:
DrierThanANunsNasty · 22/12/2021 23:59

Stir a lot of pots in your pub do you OP? Hmm

7eleven · 23/12/2021 00:00

Can’t believe people are STILL spouting “It’s just a cold.” Bloody hell.

Original poster
Boo65 · 23/12/2021 00:01

@DrierThanANunsNasty

Stir a lot of pots in your pub do you OP? Hmm
Not if I can help it... looks like I'll be stirring plenty this weekend with no staff!
OP posts:
NMC2022 · 23/12/2021 00:02

@Boo65 not confused at all, just CEV and still at risk of being hospitalised from it so no, it's not just a cold for a massive amount of people

Original poster
Boo65 · 23/12/2021 00:03

@sarah13xx

Must be so frustrating as a business and yeah for a lot of people (including my partner just now as me and the baby sleep in the spare room to avoid him), it is just a cold but it’s the death rates they’re trying to work out as omicron is so new and also the fact that older people most likely wouldn’t get off so lightly. My partner won’t ever listen to me about covid and I think this will just have added to his argument when I try to be sensible because it’s ‘just a cold’ 🙄
Yes it's very frustrating, sorry your partner is not well, hope he recovers soon Daffodil It's hard times for hospitality and and many others
OP posts:
slajsugt · 23/12/2021 00:04

"Look at the stats, nobody is dying from this variant. It's essentially a cold"

Plenty of people are still dying.

Staff testing positive
Original poster
Boo65 · 23/12/2021 00:05

@BluebellsGreenbells

This is what is going to close businesses, not a lockdown!

Totally agree. With no government support a lot of businesses will have to close temporally to allow staff time to isolate.
The amount of young people who work in shop/restaurants/service/ who keep the economy going in minimum wage in public rich environments have been grossly underestimated.
DD 18 works in a shop, nightclub and attends college
DD16 works in a bakery Saturday’s and food van 3 evenings
DS works at a hotel restaurant two evenings and a cafe sundays

All wouldn’t be paid by government if off I’ll, all on pretty much zero hours contracts (complete farce) so would lose pay and no sick benefits . Luckily they live at home with no real outgoings.

Exactly this!
OP posts:
MrsJackRackham · 23/12/2021 00:10

I get it OP but unfortunately unless you're confirmed as having omicrom then every positive test needs to be assumed to be delta and therefore more harmful.
I work in a pub and we're 2 down out of 8 with another awaiting their PCR. Pub is quiet because everyone has been told to stay at home so less staff on each shift but we're juggling trying to cover. One of the staff who tested positive had a sore throat for 24 hours and that was it. It's brutal and so badly handled.

Cheerbear24 · 23/12/2021 00:12

It may be a cold for a healthy 20 year old but there needs to be clearer date on the older population and CEV before we write it off as mild.

Original poster
Boo65 · 23/12/2021 00:13

@Keepitonthedownlow

Well unless you know something that the entire scientific community doesn't.... YABVU
Why is hospitality not closed then?
OP posts:
Yubaba · 23/12/2021 00:13

Not everyone is getting omincron though. DS2 has covid at the moment and he has the Delta variant.
He’s only 11 and hasn’t really been that Ill but he felt awful on day 1,2&3.

Original poster
Boo65 · 23/12/2021 00:13

@NMC2022

It's not a cold though is it Confused we don't vaccinate or have lockdowns or test for colds
Why is hospitality not close then?
OP posts:
OnGoldenPond · 23/12/2021 00:21

How do people know for definite which variant they are infected with? As I understood it they are only sequencing a sample of positive PCRs and of these only notifying people if they have omicron. In fact, I don't know if they are actually notifying people any more as the rules are now the same for both variants.

ilovesooty · 23/12/2021 00:30

I doubt if customers would be too keen to revisit a pub if they knew staff who'd tested positive were continuing to work.

Even if you're doing the right thing, you seem to be implying you shouldn't have to. It makes me wonder how many people are continuing to work in customer facing roles because they face not being paid if they don't.