I have a blocked/runny nose. Aibu to not test for covid

[Goslingsforlife]

Just doing an insanity check (or maybe I need telling off). I have a mild cold. Just a bit of a blocked nose. We do not have a workplace policy for covid anymore. A colleague just got really shitty with me for not testing. I feel absolutely fine apart from the blocked nose. I am not ill, no cough, no temp, taste etc fine. I feel good.

Are people still spending money on tests for every little cold symptom? AIBU?

Really not sure now given her reaction but she has a tendency to be OTT with loads of things.

People who are immune suppressed are still at risk of getting seriously ill from COVID. But they are also at risk of getting seriously ill from any cold or illness, so you don't need test, but if you can work from home why share your germs with your colleagues?

COVID is nasty though. I don't have long COVID but an exposure to COVID two years ago has left me very disabled as it worsened an underlying condition. And this was after several vaccinations. I don't know why everyone has got so complacent about it, it is still landing people in hospital and it is still giving people serious long term conditions.

I am not suggesting we go back to lockdowns or masking, but if you are symptomatic it's hardly heroic to go sharing it around

Maybe amazed is a bit hyperbolic but Covid wouldn’t be high on my list of things to consider if I just had a blocked or runny nose and felt absolutely fine in myself.

Is it possible to WFH or for your colleague to do that? Or you move to different office for a time? I get not paying for the test as money is tight for everything these days but really shitty to pass it onto someone immunocompromised because it doesn’t effect you much.

in theory I can WFH but it's always a massive faff and frowned upon by management and we are usually told to come in if not too ill to work. We can only WFH when we are really ill and would struggle to cope with the commute/day in the office..

I would be testing every day if this were a thing, I have constant blocked up nose and loss of taste and smell

Either someone is too ill to come to work or they're not

Or they're so ill that they seek medical attention and might find out what their particular aiment is

Otherwise you just have a snotty nose for a bit and are fine to function day to day

Unless you are her doctor,. how would you know?

Despite the fact thst we are told there is not a Covid policy anymore I would still test. I would prefer to know so that people and myself make informed choices re contact. Whilst everyone saying it's mild symptoms now, it is not like that for everyone. Some people gave vulnerable people in their lives who they understandably want to protect.

Yanbu
There's nothing you'd do differently in terms of self-care, working and interacting with others.
Anyone who is vulnerable would be equally vulnerable to any othet cold&flu virus.
Nobody needs to know whether this virus is covid or not.

I don't test. I don't get paid if I don't work so unless I'm too ill to work I go in. I lost a weeks money last month for a vomiting bug and that was difficult to cope with.

Exactly. DH boss was getting really twitchy if anyone had even the mildest symptoms and it turned out she had a parent who was very vulnerable

Of course you shouldn't test, what difference does it make if you have Covid or not? We needed to test to isolate back when we were working on getting everyone fully vaccinated. That was years ago - what specific respiratory illness you have now isn't relevant.

I find it astounding to be honest. People have germs all the time, we are just a big massive mass of germs. People having sniffles still have some sort of virus, people always have. They also all have names as well, but we just dont know them

So fo rpeople that want to be informed so they can make choices about contact, whats your information about all the other viruses people carry that give a few days of symptoms, could be worse for some than others. People cant lock themselves away.

I doubt most people are testing for a runny nose now, no. YANBU, particularly as you wouldn't qualify for sick leave due to not being ill and would struggle to access remote work too.

But you can't expect others to stay off work to protect random colleagues particularly if they don't get paid for it and feel well enough to work.

People who are talking about immunosuppressed loved ones - they are vulnerable to all respiratory illnesses, not just Covid. If you have symptoms of an illness, stay away from them Covid or not.

Just tell your colleague that you tested & its negative. If she's concerned she can test herself.

I've had Covid three times and have been really ill every time. Covid isn't just a cold and even if your symptoms are mild someone else could get really ill. I'd test and if positive stay away from other people. Having said that, we have a holiday booked in August and even if one of us tests positive we're going. I'd wear a mask on the plane though. I think you should test and if positive arrange to sit away from your colleagues or work from home if possible.

So the onus would be on her to stay away from her vulnerable parent if she felt unwell, not to expect her colleagues to stay off work with very mild symptoms.

I've had flu 3 times and been really ill each time - I don't understand your point. Why test?

Yep, and nothing stopping her wearing a high quality mask at work to lessen the risk of catching anything in the first place. If worn correctly, which I accept not everyone does, FFP2 masks can be helpful.

Because Covid can make other people very ill. So if you know you have Covid you can reduce the chance of infecting them by keeping away from them.

No, but if it's possible to work from home why wouldn't you?

Why spread any cold round the office and impact on everyone's productivity?

My workplace is clear , they expect people to work from home if they are symptomatic.

Which is great and sensible, but unfortunately OPs are not so enlightened.

Covid is a serious vascular multi system disease. I would want to know if I had it and I would not want to be around people who have it.

i still mask on public transport

OP has said her workplace makes it difficult to WFH, not all workplaces are so accommodating.

Not being around people who have covid isn't one of yours or anyone's choices, unless you're going to avoid public spaces altogether. To that end, I think you're very sensible to wear a mask.