To expect people ill with Covid stay home?

[LakelandHiker]

This week, my manager and a friend who goes to my exercise class are ill with Covid. I don't know if they've tested, but they've both said they have it. However one is still coming into the office and the other still attending the exercise class. AIBU or overreacting here... but why don't they stay home until clear? Even if 'feeling 95% better' wouldn't you wait until potentially exposing others? I can't help but feel mad at them both for being so selfish. I often look after an elderly relative and can't risk passing Covid on to her as she is frail. I get life can't be on pause forever but my manager can get paid sick leave and my friend can miss a class, it isn't like there's anything at stake...

I am amazed at the number of people saying you can't stay at home. Of course you can, although I fully understand that it can cause financial difficulties if you have to live on SSP for any length of time. By the way, for those who are not aware, SSP is now payable from the first day of sickness and must be paid to all employees, including those on part time or zero hours contracts.

Current government advice is that anyone with symptoms of a respiratory infection who also has a high temperature or does not feel well enough to work should stay at home if possible. If it really is not possible, they should take precautions including wearing a face mask or similar face covering.

In a word: yes. In more words: you also make decisions that benefit you and you only care about this because you're impacted.

The elderly have been dying each year in their thousands from the flu for how long? Did you ever stay home to protect them or think to wear a mask? No, you didn't. You only care / we only care when we are personally impacted.

Don't people in the UK get sick pay?

God sake it's just a bad cold. People need to get over this covid nonsense, could be worse could be in Russia and it be the plague!

Care home.

@prh47bridge Does the same apply to the self-employed? 😀

Covid is not a variant of the cold. It is a different virus.

Staying home when contagious, regardless of the virus causing it, is just common decency. Obviously, it’s not always possible if you don’t get paid sick leave or an option to work from home but nobody needs to spread their germs at an exercise class.

a week of SSP would cause extreme financial strain for my family. I care more about my family than strangers so I will be going to work to get full pay regardless. It’s amazing that you aren’t affected by SSP and are privileged enough for that to be the case but the vast majority of workers aren’t.

Ooh, aren’t you the tough one (I assume that’s what you want us to think, anyway)…

Ever heard of sick pay?

@SquirrelGG Self-employed people, no. Zero.

Common decency doesn’t pay my bills 🙁

Because people talk and no one at work, friends or relatives test or know anyone who tests. Because of the multiple responses on this thread saying no one tests. Because of the multiple responses on similar heads saying no one tests. And I said “almost” no one tests.

Ever heard of self-employed?

Do you even no how little sick pay is?

Don’t get sick pay babe, that’s already been mentioned. Have you heard of reading?

You know not everyone gets sick pay, surely?

Why? What difference does it make?

Your first sentence shows you were on MN during the pandemic Did you miss the threads detailing where disabled ppl and people with certain conditions couldnt wear masks and the way they were treated on here because of it. One of them was even featured in a book

It was the same at my last workplace. My boss told me to stay home for four days when I had a cold - it wasn't covid, I tested every day. I couldn't even wfh either.

Who on earth goes out and about with the flu?

And yes, I absolutely would be considerate of elderly people if I had a virus/bacterial infection of any description.

I'm also immunocompromised. I get the jab twice per year, it doesn't stop you catching it. It lessens the symptoms, so hopefully we won't die from it like we did by the thousands in 2020.

I've just returned home from hospital after receiving treatment for a covid infection. Thanks to my ignorant colleague coming into the office and spreading it to everyone.

We have a hybrid policy and he could easily have worked from home. He was actually told to go home by multiple people as there are a few of us vulnerable to it.

He wanted to 'get his office days done for the month' so decided to stay and cough all over us. Despite me leaving early, I still caught it and ended up VERY sick.

I also missed my child's birthday party, dance show and parents evening in school. It's hard enough trying to live a normal life for my children with my illness without selfish people knocking me down on my back for months because they don't give a shit about anyone but themselves.

Utterly selfish attitudes from everyone saying 'just get on with it'.

Even before I had the option to WFH, there's no way I would have knowingly spread my germs around everyone. I'd have took a couple of days off to recover and applied for sick pay or SSP or I would have worked in a quiet area, isolated where possible away from others to stop spreading my germs.

@BeanNaGealai Do you get sick pay? 😀

I might be more likely to stay at home. Also just curiosity as I want to know what is wrong with me. Obviously, I have a life where I can stay at home as I get paid when I'm ill or I can work from home. I understand that not everyone has that.

It's understandable with self-employed people, I just didn't realise how many MNers were self-employed as so many people on here are saying they have to go to work.

@NeighbourShagsParkingSpace You do know not everybody gets sick pay, right?