Colleagues came into work poorly and now I’m getting sick, and I’m due to go away this weekend.

[iwasonlyeighteen]

My colleagues have had stinking colds this week. I’ve been saying all week to stay away from me as I’m away this weekend but they’ve not listened and now I’m starting to get poorly.

Snuffly nose, sore throat, headache, I’m exhausted.

My issue is I’m meant to be going away tomorrow, I’m flying on a long weekend to Denmark.

AIBU to dose up and still go? There’s no way I would get a doctor to say I can’t travel, I feel crappy but can probably muster for the weekend.

I get this. When I moved up North poorly fucked me right off, along with bless you.
Now I use it all the time!

It’s because they can’t say it right in the south, comes out as pore-lee instead of poo-Lee like we say up here. Now you’re up here you realise it’s great.

Everyone saying get on with it it's just a cold - but are you absolutely sure it isn't man-flu? If it is man-flu you'd definitely get signed off by a doctor and you'd get to spend the weekend in bed expecting to be pampered.

Of course you should go.
Do you really think your colleagues should have called in sick for a cold?
Would your boss been ok with that?

Make sure you do as much as you can to decongest your sinuses before you fly. I usually steam my head using a saucepan and essential oils, and then I'd probably get the sudafed nasal spray and some pseudoephedrine (as opposed to the normal supermarket phenylephrine). Take paracetamol etc etc so I wasn't worrying about finding a pharmacy, and I would probably take one of those minute squash bottles in case I ended up with a sore throat. I find being thoroughly distracted from a cold is generally only a good thing.

I think you’re getting a hard time @iwasonlyeighteen and I totally get why you’re fed up!

I hope you’re not feeling too bad and have a lovely weekend

Not necessarily ‘just’ a cold.

American covid is making the rounds. 80% rise in hospital admissions in London last week. I’m currently v v ill with it. Tested myself today. Started as sore throat and just a cold.

So @iwasonlyeighteen you are not being unreasonable to be annoyed at unwell 😉 colleagues coming into the office, but you are being v v unreasonable to get on a plane without testing yourself and at the very least wearing a mask throughout the whole of the travel. People travelling ill is how it started last time. I’m awake coughing my lungs up atm. It’s not pleasant.

And do you really want to be away when feeling ill?

Annoying but stop the blame.

yes you might have caught it from colleagues but could have easily have caught a cold from the lady behind you at Tesco, on the bus or the milkman.

it’s a cold - bloody annoying when they come at inconvenient times - but deal with it. don’t let it ruin your plans.

go to the chemist - dose up on max paracetamol and ibroprofen , take anything else they offer such as sprays for sore throat etc.

wear a mask on the plane to protect others.

or if you really are so unwell you can’t travel - see a private dr to get a sick note for your travel insurance.

Really couldn’t waste time agonises over the cause of this but would be doing a lot to minimise the symptoms to try and make the best of it .

This. It’s ironic that you found it wrong of them to spread to you, but you have no problem spreading to a plane full of people on their travels.

How lovely of you to happily spread it to a plane full of people but think you have the right to berate your colleagues.

If you would rather go away feeling rubbish than lose the money then that's probably an indicator you don't feel that bad or are spending too much.

I would blame management for allowing those people to come in and infect others. I am not in the UK but people who come in with those sort of colds are sent home - yes, we have paid sick leave and our provisions are far more generous than seems to be the rule in the UK. Or if possible they will work from home. They will not be allowed to stay and infect colleagues. We have very little sickness transmission thanks to this policy so we probably save money in the long run. I, for example, have had one cold in five years and that was caught overseas.

I work on a school so cant avoid catching viruses although I do try.

before half term on year I was so unwell I was off work for three days and then we had a flight at 7am to Barcelona on the Saturday and we got the airport at 5am and it was thick fog and I step outside I literally took my breath away.

we are very active but we did both loops on the hop on /off bus. And I very much enjoyed being wheeled about!

Not going when you have a cold is not an option for most people. Too much money, tome and disappointment for travel companions. We can’t not fly and loose £1500 because of a cold.

Please wear a mask.

Take some over counter stuff like first defence, paracetamol and go. It’s rubbish and sick work colleagues annoy me too but hopefully it’s mild and short lived.

The thing is, you’re asking if we think it’s unreasonable for you to just get on with things - but that’s literally what your gripe was with your colleagues 🤷🏻‍♀️
Ultimately, this is how the cold, flu and Covid is spread. Because people don’t isolate during their contagious period. So what you’re asking is, should I spread it to a plane full of people, or should I take the hit on £1,500 I’d lose by not going.
I’d say you’re unreasonable for being so put out by your colleagues, whilst simultaneously then proceeding to do the same thing.