Working with Covid

[crunche]

I am a private carer for elderly people. I've just tested positive for Covid and feel really ill. I can't work like this so have informed clients and their families. Everyone has been lovely and understanding.

I work as part of a team for one gentleman but cannot find anyone who is available to cover my 12hour shift on Thursday. The head carer has contacted me asking me to go in wearing PPE. I'm a bit taken aback by this because I might not be well enough to work but mainly because I'm shocked they would want to put the lovely gentleman client at risk. He lives in a tiny flat and we provide full personal care and make all food etc. Essentially I believe the responsibility will fall to the head carer if I can't go in. But AIBU to be expected to provide care for such a vulnerable man whilst having Covid? I don't know if his family are happy with this situation or not. They themselves are vulnerable.

It's not really complicated, just say no. If you are not well enough to work don't. Do you receive full sick pay? probably not, in which case 'no work, no pay, you owe them nothing, they pay you nothing, all things are equal' They pay only for the hours you work, therefore you don't owe it to them to compromise your health.

As for the vulnerability of clients,.....what can you do? me, I would not personally put others at risk of harm, that is one of the key tenets of the care certificate and safeguarding.

If you were feeling well enough to work this would be the norm now in most situations but if you aren’t well enough to work then you can’t!

I work in a hospital and we are expected to attend with Covid if we feel well enough but not if we don’t.

Obviously you should not go and put this gentlemen at risk. Bloody hell!

People in hospitals are expected to work with covid????

@Needanewjobsoon yep I've had it twice this year as long as no temp or bad cough (neither I had) just felt incredibly rough with raging sore throat and still had to go in.

Er.. Doesn't that mean it spreads to the patients??

Yup. New normal

Gosh. I knew most workplaces wanted people back in work but I stayed off work with covid (working with vulnerable adults) but admittedly I felt awful and couldn't work.

I'm amazed hospitals though want people in as that's surely spreading it amongst vulnerable populations.

My elderly aunt caught covid whilst in hospital earlier this year. She was isolated and put in a room on her own. It's bizarre that they isolate the patients but yet still have hospital staff walking round with covid spreading it to vulnerable patients.

I personally know of a beautiful lady who had cancer, she died of Covid in November. If she hadn't of got Covid she would have been able to have one last Christmas with her family. It's situations like that that prove why we shouldn't be helping it to spread.