Staff not ‘boosted’ affecting whole team.

[Chanandlerbong1]

We are quite a large team and everyone except one has had their covid booster. She has had the first two vaccinations. Guidance has just been changed - so anyone who is a household contact can return to work if they meet certain conditions. Being boosted is one of them. She refuses to get the booster - unsure of her reasons - I haven’t asked as it’s none of my business. She has been off multiple times with symptoms and has taken multiple PCR tests - all of which have been negative. We all just roll our eyes now when we are told she is off again. Now they have been identified as a close contact - but will need to isolate as not boosted. We are stretched as it is and can’t help thinking less of this person! AIBU?

YABU, the guidelines are to blame here, not the unboosted staff member.

I thought people with two doses of vaccine were deemed to be fully vaccinated now.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person
You are fully vaccinated 14 days after having received two doses of an approved vaccine (such as Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca or Moderna/Spikevax) or one dose of the single-dose Janssen vaccine.

YABU, what has anyone's medical information got to do with you?

If you had medical issues how would you like your colleagues blabbing it all round the internet?

Sorry I see you say household contact but this was also updated 30th Dec
www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection
if you are fully vaccinated or aged under 18 years and 6 months, and you live in the same household as someone with COVID-19, you are not legally required to self-isolate. However, you are strongly advised to take an LFD test every day for 7 days, and to self-isolate if any of these test results is positive
*You are fully vaccinated 14 days after having received 2 doses of an approved vaccine (such as Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca or Moderna/Spikevax) or one dose of the single-dose Janssen vaccine.

Is it really affecting the WHOLE team, or just you?

yabu

I don' t think yabu. We have 2 colleagues who have not had even one jab and both have been off multiple times with symptoms at full pay and both are apparently exempt from mask wearing. They are definitely taking the piss and if they're not then they are happily putting the rest of us at risk.

Sorry it’s because of our area of work. New guidelines are now that if staff are boosted they can return to work. It’s to get us out of isolation quicker and back to work.
To me, she is using this to get out of working. Sorry that’s harsh - but you don’t know her and she’s been playing the system for almost two years.
What medical issues have I blabbed?

Of course it is affecting the whole team. Being a staff member down every couple of months for days at a time puts extra pressure and stress on all of us.

Bring it up with your manager if you feel it needs investigating and stop rolling your eyes.

YANBU

Some people will always take advantage of any way to get out of working especially if they can do so on full pay. With multiple periods of “symptoms” but all negative PCRs I would guess she’s one of them

My manager is well aware of the problem. She can’t do anything about it if she refuses to be boosted. People are free to make their own choices. But she’s already had two vaccines so she is not ‘anti-vax’.

YANBU, it's affecting the whole team and that is not fair.

I just can’t help but think she is refusing it because she knows she will get more time off if she’s isn’t boosted! Full pay obviously.

YANBU. Multiple sick leaves suggest she is not taking proper care of her health. Whatever the reason. Your company should also have a contingency plan, so the rest of you aren't continually being overloaded.

I've had both vaccines, however can't have the booster yet due to medical issues that arose after I was last vaccinated. I plan on having my booster once recovered from my next surgery. You don't know why she hasn't had the booster, could be the same reason as me, and clearly she's not anti-vax as you say, so YABU.

I agree with you OP. We have similar at work with staff who are off on full pay if they have to isolate and have not been vaccinated... so frustrating and causes massive bad will. Not a job that can be done from home so effectively they get 10 extra paid days off each time they are a contact

A lot of companies are changing there policies to not pay for vaccination as the person has chosen not to be vaccinated .

There's a difference between can't and won't

of course anyone who can't shouldn't be affected by the policy changes .

Oh are the "unboosted" going to become the new "unvaccinated".

FGS. She has had two vaccines. Until the government changes the rules, she is under no obligation to have a third. Mind your own business.

A lot of companies are changing there policies to not pay for vaccination as the person has chosen not to be vaccinated

no they're not because it would not be lawful to. They could change it for new recruits I suppose. Also a lot of unvaccinated didn't choose it, they were advised not to especially if they and one dose and had a bad reaction

I would find this really annoying too.

@JuergenSchwarzwald

Oh are the "unboosted" going to become the new "unvaccinated".

FGS. She has had two vaccines. Until the government changes the rules, she is under no obligation to have a third. Mind your own business.

A lot of companies are changing there policies to not pay for vaccination as the person has chosen not to be vaccinated

no they're not because it would not be lawful to. They could change it for new recruits I suppose. Also a lot of unvaccinated didn't choose it, they were advised not to especially if they and one dose and had a bad reaction

Yes the are and can changing it .

What would you like to happen? Should she be sacked or disciplined for making a perfectly legal choice not to accept a medical procedure? Or should she be forced to have it against her will?

I understand your frustration, and I think she's a prat for not having the booster. There isn't a solution that pleases everybody though, unfortunately. We can't give away fundamental human rights in this very specific situation without it having ruinous implications for all of us. Bodily autonomy has to be inalienable, barring section under the mental health act etc.

@Freecuthbert
Appreciate that could potentially be the reason - and appreciate it’s none of my business.
If it was me - I would probably be open about it, that would remove any bad feelings.

We had a chat in work a couple of months ago about the booster and we were sort of guessing that being boosted would be added to our conditions of being allowed back to work.
I can’t help but think that she’s playing the system.