AIBU to test for covid?

[FrenchFancie]

I’m off work with covid at the moment, hoping to be back tomorrow. I tested positive on Sunday. I’ve had what, to me, is the most bizarre email exchange with my boss about this. In short he’s told me off for testing, says I’m not supposed to have tested and should be back at work the moment I feel well enough to be back at work, regardless of wether I’ve got a negative test.

i tested for two reasons - this is my fourth covid infection, so I suspected it was covid from the symptoms and wanted to know. I was about to visit a very elderly and vulnerable relative in hospital, and didn’t want to walk covid onto the cardiac ward. I also work with someone who is vulnerable- they are taking drugs that suppress their immune system, so didn’t want to take covid into work and make her really unwell.

aibu to think my boss is nuts? Surely I didn’t do anything wrong by testing? He’s made me feel like I’m some sort of hypochondriac by testing!

Your boss is BVU to tell you off for testing - you have the right to find out any information that you want to know about your health

We are not supposed to test at work. The old tests don't don't pick up every strain anyway.

If you are unwell you should stay away from vulnerable or elderly people no matter what is wrong with you. Why is it ok to spread germs as long as it isn't covid?

For those having a go at me for thinking about going visiting the hospital on Sunday, yes ordinarily I would have stayed away if I was feeling ill. However the relative concerned was dying and it was to make my goodbyes. I would have pushed that for a cold but not covid. She died Sunday night so that’s no longer an issue.
potentially having covid was simply part of my decision making process as to wether to attend.

i just find it surprising that I’m being told not to test when we know this disease still has the potential to be nasty. It feels like sticking your head in the sand and hoping it makes it all go away…

Erm sorry, where did I say I would have taken Covid into the hospital? I tested because I didnt want to run the risk of taking it in, got a positive result and stayed at home?!? Have not made goodbyes to lovely Aunt and will do so instead at her funeral.

if I had tested negative, it’s not to say I would have gone, I would still have thought things through, but definitely wasn’t going anywhere near the place with Covid.

Christ I’m getting told off for testing, told off for not testing, told off for even thinking about testing. You can’t bloody win!!

If you feel well enough, get back to work. Too many people still skiving with a positive result.

I'm ill with covid currently ( my third time). I tested when feeling ill on Monday after work because I am a carer for an elderly relative who is vulnerable ( I was given a covid booster because of this), am a teacher with 2 colleagues that are pregnant and another member of my department has it. We are advised to stay away for 5 days. I understand not everyone can do this. However, even though it's made me more dizzy I've had to spend hours sending resources in for my classes, so in effect working from home whilst ill. I agree with what you've done op.

If your work wants you in
Mine doesn't. Covid, flu, weird virus, stay at home and work or off sick with pay

I test but I work with vulnerable people (I'm a midwife). I think it's responsible.

Plus the research around the impact of repeat COVID infections is concerning. People say it's just like a cold, but it's really not.

I’ve found that the government guidance on this is conflicting and leaves you feeling guilty if you don’t test or if you do test. For so long we were conditioned to think that if we got Covid and passed it on we would be responsible for potentially passing it onto some more vulnerable and them potentialy dying. I’ve recently had covid and found it very much depends on individual opinions to Covid and that at least in the past we knew what we needed to do, whereas now it is so unclear. The government guidance says that kids are ok after 3 days and adults after 5 days, or 10 days around CEV people. However, the vaccine was meant to have protected these individuals and despite having 3 jab myself there’s no way of avoiding it. I think the guidance on living with covid should be clearer for businesses and hospitals so there is less confusion around it. I have been isolating this weekend after testing positive. I think you are right in way you are saying about your boss and maybe they should normalise mask use moving forward as a way of reducing any illness that a person may have, whether it’s a standard cold or flu if you feel a bit ill and are unsure.

And yes that’s true, we don’t actually know the long term impacts on it. I would be interested to know what the long term effects are for those with long covid for example. I knew a lady that got it and was otherwise fit and healthy - doesn’t make sense to me. Especially as there isn’t a thing such as a long cold or a long flu, unless I am mistaken.

I’ve just had what I suspect what Covid. I didn’t bother testing but while im ill with any virus, I don’t take it to the office or visit vulnerable relatives.
I am immunosuppressed but realise any virus can make me ill not just Covid. The ideal is we think about spreading (or ideally not spreading) all illnesses not just Covid.