Staff testing positive

[Boo65]

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!

@MorningStarling

I run a pub with a very small team.

Your problem is right here in your first sentence. Why is the team so small that it can't cope with TWO staff having Covid? You are mismanaging spectacularly, if you run the team YOU need to ensure that there are enough staff to cover just about any reasonably predictable eventuality. Why have you not arranged standby cover at such a busy time of the year? Cutting costs?

Yes, this. This has been around 2 years, and isolate for positive tests since pretty much the beginning, it was always going to be an issue at some point and maybe you could have had plans ready to put in place when it happened to minimise the effects on your business. Reduced opening hours, casual staff that may have been willing to pull a shift or two, reduced food menu or unavailable on quieter days. It's also quite telling that you've not really mentioned the effect this is going to have on your staffs financial situation, I'm assuming (may be wrong) that they're zero hour contracts, and would have been looking at a cut in hours come January anyway as is usual in hospitality, and having to isolate will cost them money too. Though all your concern is for yourself, not the team you so clearly rely upon.