Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not go to work (teacher) when I have Covid?

86 replies

biggirlknickers · 05/07/2022 22:14

Have just tested positive for Covid. I have symptoms (coughing, loss of voice, runny nose, lack of energy - feels like a medium to bad cold). Contacted my line manager at school who says I should be going in if I feel well enough to work.

I probably do feel well enough to work - as I said, it feels like a bad cold. Not great to work with but I can cope if I have to.

But the NHS advice says to stay home for 5 days and avoid contact with people “if you can”. And I would be shut in a room with a class of children all day. Who of course all go home to their families at the end of the day, potentially carrying my bastard bug with them.

What should I do? I think I should be staying away but I know my school is struggling for cover and I don’t want to go against what my line manager is telling me.

OP posts:
Original poster
biggirlknickers · 06/07/2022 07:53

Thanks everybody. I’m staying away and sending in my cover work now.

The guilt is huge though. Teacher problems.

OP posts:
SmileyPiuPiu · 06/07/2022 07:57

biggirlknickers · 06/07/2022 07:53

Thanks everybody. I’m staying away and sending in my cover work now.

The guilt is huge though. Teacher problems.

Don't feel guilty, you have a virus. You didn't choose to have a virus. If anyone should feel guilty it's the virus but it doesn't as it doesn't have a brain.

SmileyPiuPiu · 06/07/2022 07:59

Threetulips · 06/07/2022 07:10

Feart same hear.

DD works behind the bar in a restaurant - an upmarket one, the waiting staff all have it and have to work.

You know those with masks and gloves are no longer scared of the virus - they HAVE the virus. I’ve seen the same in the supermarket and avoid any masked members of staff.

That is so true! The people with the masks are basically saying "I have covid but my employer is shit and I have to come in"

soulinablackberrypie · 06/07/2022 10:45

I don't work in a school, but I do work in a place where I mix with members of the public, some of them quite elderly and vulnerable. I had Covid 2 months ago and did not really feel ill - I had a runny nose and a slight cough, but no temperature or body aches or anything like that. It was just after our organisation changed its policy so that you were supposed to go to work unless you felt ill. I felt really, really uncomfortable about being there with Covid, and I knew my immediate boss was likely to feel the same, so I hammed it up a bit to make it easier for her to allow me to be off sick. I would never consider taking time off for the same symptoms if I didn't know it was Covid. On the 8th day I was still testing a very faint line but I went back to work, being extra careful to keep my face covering on at all times, stay behind my perspex screen and have very good ventilation. I would have much preferred to stay away until I actually saw a completely negative test, but it would have felt like taking the piss in those circumstances. I just wish I had tested positive 2 weeks earlier when the advice was still to stay away no matter what.

I am now being extremely careful to avoid Covid (social distancing, hand sanitising, avoiding public transport etc) as I just don't think I could get away with taking time off again, unless I was genuinely very ill. I really hate this culture of "just get on with life and sod the vulnerable people you meet."

Bottom line - well, I was going to say take the time off even if you have to exaggerate a bit, but you have already made the decision and I totally agree with it.

those with masks and gloves are no longer scared of the virus - they HAVE the virus

Wow - I've never heard that before. I always wear a face covering at work, unless I'm in the act of drinking or I'm talking to my one very deaf customer who needs to see my lips, in which case I stay firmly behind my screen. And I always wear one in public indoor spaces like shops and museums. I wonder if everyone assumes I'm positive! (Although, in the case of customers at work, they'd have to assume I'd been positive for an awful long time...)

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 06/07/2022 10:52

Definitely stay off. Tell them you feel too ill.

ffs

mast0650 · 06/07/2022 10:54

I dont really know anyone still testing for Covid so I'm always confused by these threads as to how anyone know knows they have it

I don't know anyone doing regular testing. But people I know are generally testing if they have Covid-like symptoms.

itsgettingweird · 06/07/2022 11:02

My school out RA says 5 days for staff and 3 for children.

After that you need a sick note of not well enough to attend.

Your school sound irresponsible and uncaring.

I'd be using my time at home ill to look for other schools tbh.

Axahooxa · 06/07/2022 11:05

I’ve just had Covid. This one is so so much worse than the one I had in feb.

say you’re not well enough. Stay home and rest.

Boxachocs · 06/07/2022 11:26

I tested positive the day Ofsted were in and I was told to stay home. Absolutely ridiculous that anyone who has covid is told to go to work anyway.

Ugzbugz · 06/07/2022 11:37

Can the children attend when they have it? If so you may as well go in. We've been told to send them in as long as they are well enough and my son who is in secondary said the maths teacher was in with covid....

aghe · 06/07/2022 15:57

biggirlknickers · 05/07/2022 22:14

Have just tested positive for Covid. I have symptoms (coughing, loss of voice, runny nose, lack of energy - feels like a medium to bad cold). Contacted my line manager at school who says I should be going in if I feel well enough to work.

I probably do feel well enough to work - as I said, it feels like a bad cold. Not great to work with but I can cope if I have to.

But the NHS advice says to stay home for 5 days and avoid contact with people “if you can”. And I would be shut in a room with a class of children all day. Who of course all go home to their families at the end of the day, potentially carrying my bastard bug with them.

What should I do? I think I should be staying away but I know my school is struggling for cover and I don’t want to go against what my line manager is telling me.

I work for the covid line and although it's not a legal requirement any more we still absolutely advise you to isolate, I can't believe a school is even suggesting you go to work! I hope you feel better soon, I'd hate to send my kids to school knowing their teacher had covid and potentially bring it home and pass it on to the rest of the family x

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread