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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask my school if I should quarantine myself for 48 hours after the symptoms of norovirus have gone.

45 replies

TWINSETinapeartree · 05/01/2009 08:11

I don't really mean unreasonable but will I look like a skiving ninny, especially as I was ill the last week of last term.

I have caught it off dd and felt ill all yesterday, last night I did some quite scary projectile vomiting. I now have stomach pain, diorhea and feel absolutley wiped out.

When dd had it we were told to keep her in for 48 hours after the symptoms stop. Her school also sent a letter home saying the same thing.

I have just emailed work to ask if I should do the same, are they going to think she is taking the piss here, the thought of staying home for 2 days when I feel fine feels very uncomfortable.

OP posts:
mrspink27 · 05/01/2009 08:14

YANBU if its 48 hours for the children it should also be the same for the staff.

Original poster
TWINSETinapeartree · 05/01/2009 08:14

I am going back to sleep now just incase people reply and then wonder why I am ignoring them

OP posts:
Original poster
TWINSETinapeartree · 05/01/2009 08:15

That is what I thought mrspink, although I do not teach at the same school as my dd attends, but it is in the same LEA.

I thought it ws better to email and check rather than just assume and take the time off.

OP posts:
Tigerschick · 05/01/2009 08:24

It should be the same for staff as it is for children.
If there is someone at your school who is inclined to think the worst of people then, yes, they will think you are taking the piss/faking ... but hopefully there isn't anyone like that there and people who have had the virus will understand.

Hope you are better soon; it wiped us out for over a week in total!

Tigerschick · 05/01/2009 08:30

Just want to qualify my last post by saying that I used to work with someone who always used to moan very loudly whenever anyone had a day off sick - regardless of how ill they actually were. Everyone ignored her but it was a bit depressing to be sitting at home ill and knowing that she'd be bitching about you to staff, children, parents etc etc.

Like I say, I really hope there is no-one like that where you are and you should definitely quarantine yourself.

snoringnightmare · 05/01/2009 08:41

You know this makes me so

The Norovirus wipes you out totally. You cannot sit and type. Sounds a bit of a "I have the flu" - "no you have a bit of a sniffle" situation.

So I think YABU in letting your colleagues and pupils down.

endymion · 05/01/2009 08:47

Actually I disagree. A friend's family had vomiting and illness, each one of them to a differing extent. At the same time, her ds had earache, so they took him to the GP. While there, friend asked whether her dh's red sore looking face was normal and the GP said, yes, when you've had norovirus. He had vomited so hard that he had burst blood vessels in his face.

They had all been sick, all vomited, so would have been a bizarre coincidence for them to have different bugs.

Just the same bug can effect people differently.

And with regard to typing ability negating possibility that it norovirus, actually I find it easier sometimes to type than to speak when I am ill. Particularly as you can delete, rehash, check, re-type. I don't think that precludes having a particular type of illness.

compo · 05/01/2009 08:49

sitting in your dressing typing for 2 minutes before staggering back to bed is very different than commuting to work and then staying there all day

compo · 05/01/2009 08:50

dressing gown

endymion · 05/01/2009 08:50

And I completely agree that if the rule is 48 hours after vomiting (and I generally believe that is any d&v and you don't need positive diagnosis of a particular bug) then that should apply to teachers as well as pupils.

I would be seriously pissed off if when dd goes back to school tomorrow, she picks up another vomiting bug as a result of anyone at the school not following the 48 hour rule.

BoffinMum · 05/01/2009 08:52

If I was your HT, twinset, I would want you to stay at home, just like in the case of the kids.

Agreed there are always miserable buggers in the Staff Room bitching away about sick days, but they would only find something else to bitch about if it wasn't that.

I used to dread phoning in sick when I was a teacher and used to make DH do it for me in case I was perceived as not sounding ill enough on the phone!!

BalthazarCandleQueen · 05/01/2009 08:55

If you were V last night and have D today STAY OFF SCHOOL!!!
I'm a teacher and wouldn't dream of taken a bug like that into school.
And if you feel like shit warmed up then you're not going to be a very effective teacher are you??

DisasterArea · 05/01/2009 09:07

feeling a bit queeesy - go to work.
having actually vomited or diarrhoead (is that a word?) 48hrs off.

ThePregnantHedgeWitch · 05/01/2009 09:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

ruty · 05/01/2009 09:13

stay at home! Otherwise you are doing the children a disservice. And don't feel guilty.

BoffinMum · 05/01/2009 09:46

Me too HedgeWitch, I was off with pneumonia for a month and nearly died at one point, and frankly the computer was my link to sanity.

ThePregnantHedgeWitch · 05/01/2009 09:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

stickybeaker · 05/01/2009 09:55

I work in the NHS an the rule is 48 hours after the LAST episode. So if you were sick at 10am this morning, you shouldn't return until after 10am on Wednesday morning.

Snoringnightmare you are wrong. She shouldn't go to work. It is HIGHLY contagious. If she gives it to one pupil who then visits an elderly relative it could be fatal.

Thunderduck · 05/01/2009 09:58

Better one person off with norovirus than the majority of employees and children, which is what will happen if people who still have the virus go into work. They aren't doing anyone any favours by doing so.

So stay at home OP and there's no need to feel guilty.

27 · 05/01/2009 09:59

Where I work it is 48 hours off after the last episode.

Notalone · 05/01/2009 10:00

Snoringnightmare. She would be highly irresponsible to go into work. It is probably people like you who spread noro around more easily because they don't stay at home for 48 hours or are intolerant of those who do.

Go back to bed Twinset and don't feel guilty at all

ScottishMummy · 05/01/2009 10:12

our work stringently enforce 48hr after last loose stool or episode of vomiting before return to work

snoringnightmare · 05/01/2009 12:58

Ah well this is an AIBU and we are all entitled to throw our pennth in.

As far as I am concerned if you are well enough to be posting on here until the early hours then you are quite possibly well enough to go to work.

endymion · 05/01/2009 13:13

BUt as people have posted, you can still type when desperately ill, but that does not equate to a) being fit for work and b) it being appropriate to go to work when one may still be highly contagious.

The time of posting is irrelevant. Perhaps OP posting in early hours because felt terrible. i.e. unable to sleep?

I have hideous cough. If I were working (and I'm not) I would not go into work. I am unable to hold a conversation, would be unable to deal with customers on telephone, and I don't think my colleagues would thank me for hacking and retching all the time.

I am still, however, able to post on here and carry on with looking after the children, by scheduling a quiet day of rest and recuperation. Neither of which would be possible if I were at work. Added to which, I am not contagious, unlike Twinset.

lizziemun · 05/01/2009 13:15

snoringnightmare

Having had norovirus a few weeks ago i was mnetting as between the vomiting every 30mins i felt to ill to sleep.

Answer to OP i would take the 48hrs before going back to work. This is also the advice NHS website.