Passenger travelling whilst really ill

[Notjustanother]

Took a flight to Berlin last week. Woman next to me was coughing the entire flight; deep phlegmmy cough and spitting stuff up. Clearly should have been in bed. It was grim. As a minimum she should have been wearing a mask.

Five days later I felt very ill, and tested positive for Covid. A former colleague who also happened to be on the flight, sitting in front of this woman, has also tested positive.

Since then I have lost half a stone in weight, been horrendously ill and am having difficulty breathing. Today we were supposed to be going away for a much looked forward to half term holiday, we have had to cancel and pay the £200 insurance excess.

The woman was on a mini break with her husband, but did some work on the flight. She works for a law firm.

Would I be unreasonable to contact the law firm and complain - especially as she was working for them during the flight. I have her name.

I am furious that her rank selfishness has made me (and others on the flight) so ill. There could be no doubt that she was going to infect others on the flight, and must have known that there was a high risk that she had Covid.

I think she needs to be made accountable for her actions, or at the very least be made aware of how her actions have affected others. AIBU?

You are responsible for looking after your own health. Were you wearing a mask??

So you’re completely ignoring the point we’re all making that you can’t prove/don’t know she had covid.

I’d have a good laugh at that email, potentially email you back telling you to get a life and then block you.

If you are so worried about Covid why don’t you wear an N95 mask and let the rest of us get on with our lives. You do realise that for children especially it is actually v important for them to catch viruses?

I’m currently coughing, full of phlegm and feel like hell. I don’t have covid, I have severe asthma and a chest infection. I’m still out and about because I need to be. Believe me I would rather be resting in my bed. Though if I took to my bed every time I get a chest infection I would rarely leave it.
She probably did have covid, she may or may not have known. It may have been the person the other side who had covid and no symptoms who gave it to you. The point is you’ll never know.
Both my son and I were hospitalised because of covid, most of my immediate family are high risk, but I have had to accept that life goes on and people have to live their lives. I’m still afraid of it but all I can do is vaccinate and be as careful as I can. That’s all any of us can do at this point. It’s rife atm.
There’s no point contacting her work, they can’t do anything about it. The confidential paperwork has no relevance other than spite on your behalf.
Sorry you missed your holiday and your children are upset. I hope you feel better soon.

I know right! I think coughing lady should forward the email to the OPs boss now to tell them that she’s contacted her (if she was on a work trip when spying on her laptop).

I wouldn't laugh at that email I'd be terrified. It is a totally unhinged thing to do.

Absolutely, this thread should serve as a salutary warning to anyone who knowingly travels with Covid…

I would like to send you my best wishes that you feel better soon. I have been ill for two weeks and too weak and constantly coughing to go out of the house. I caught this from my granddaughter and assumed it was a bad cold but after two weeks it is worse so I will test for Covid. You sound far worse than me. Have you spoken to your doctor. Get well soon.

OP I get it. I really do. Last xmas I was sat next to a parent at my DD school play who was coughing her guts up galore. 2 days later I came down with it. It wasn't covid - I never tested positive. It knocked me for six, I didn't get out of bed for 4 days. My Nan was on end of life care in hospital, I obviously couldn't go the state I was in so I didn't get to see her again before she passed away.
I have no evidence that I caught whatever this was from her. I could've caught it from another parent at the play, I could've caught it from someone serving me in a shop, I could've caught it from anywhere. In fact I caught covid 3 months later and I can't tell you where I caught it from - I hadn't come across anyone that appeared to be unwell in the lead up to it.
You need to let it go. You'll reread your posts on this thread in the future and cringe. It's batshit. And the reason people are taking your complaint about privacy as a bit of a joke is because you've done a massive drip feed and it appears only brought this up because the thread wasn't going your way. If your first post had said about the confidentiality issue you may have found people would have said to contact the firm about the lack of a privacy screen.
How on earth have you remembered her email address though? Did you write it down

Or anyone who travels with mental health issues.

OP I don't believe you used to be a solicitor. You're too ignoring of basic facts and logic and have crossed the line to malicious communication. It's unhinged and none of my fellow solicitor friends and colleagues would do such a thing.

Prove it was Covid.

No, if you are that afraid of COVID you need to stay at home . Plenty of people will have it and he asymptomatic. Plus you send your children to school I assume, where they will undoubtedly be exposed to all sorts of bugs.

You've ignored all the very sensible posts pointing out it's just as likely this lady didn't have covid.

I'm in one of the highest risk groups for covid (highly likely to end up ventilated) and I still can't imagine acting the way you are.

Poor woman must have been really ill if she was able to get on a flight in the first place and then concentrate enough to work. 🙄

Echoing what other people have said, proving that one particular contact gave you Covid is 100% impossible when you are moving through airports and aeroplanes. Sending an email to her, or to her employer, would be unhinged.

Agreed.

I feel a bit embarrassed that someone might think solicitors would act like this.

Where? Where would have moved to?

If this thread serves as a warning for anything, it's not to believe any old shite people come out with on mumsnet.

That could be deemed harrassment. Honestly what's wrong with people.

And then, prove the woman had tested for Covid, got a positive test, or "ought reasonably to have known" that she had Covid.

And then prove that the woman passed covid onto the OP.

Yeah, you can't.

That could be deemed harrassment. Honestly what's wrong with people.

I reported that one. Way to out yourself as a nutter.

Perfectly said. On public transport , particularly planes you can catch anything . Wear a mask and wash your hands if you don’t want to pick anything up. The outrage of OP is so over the top. I’m sure she’s gone out when she’s been sick before.

This would be a profoundly stupid thing to do.

Firstly it's unlikely those emails would make it through the junk filter

Secondly the firm could decide it was a malicious attack and then would be able to investigate who was behind it

You cancelled your holiday because you’re unwell not because you’re a hero protecting others from covid.

I’m surprised you’ve not been in hospital coughing up blood btw. It’s very risky!

I actually had that done to me a previous company after I wouldn’t write off a customer’s debt. Incredibly childish thing to do.

I also wouldn’t advise it since the OP has already emailed the lady so it would be obvious it was her.