Pregnant

[ICloud54]

So I watched the PM speech and it was outlined pregnant women need to take extra precautions but what does this actually mean in terms of work etc?

I just heard that too.

Following with interest.

I am not far along enough to have told anyone at work yet and am a little worried.

Working from home, and reducing social contact to nothing but necessary contact.

My place of work has bought a limited number of laptops to work from home with those with health conditions are prioritised. I'm 21 weeks and classes as low risk for a laptop according to my office 🤔
Hopefully this article will change things

I can't work from home, and need two more weeks of full pay to qualify for maternity allowance. I'm quite worried about this development as it wouldn't just mean losing out on a few weeks pay, but all my maternity allowance.

I also work with a load of germ ridden teenagers, who are definitely not very clean - they don't smell very fresh.

I'm curious to know what it means too, I'm an area manager so usually travel all over, my boss just keeps repeating 'business as usual' like some sort of robotic parrot!

They've just given a fuller answer.

There is no evidence of harm from this virus, but they want to take a more precautionary advice as infections (fever?) and pregnancy are often a poor mix.

So during pregnancy, you are to follow the same rules as for the medically vulnerable and the over 70s, and be ready to isolate for minimum of 12 weeks.

This is the measure they think will be overkill, but as there is less evidence that they would want to see to make decisions, they have decided to err on the side of caution for this

That's ridiculous @nye, your boss needs to watch the gov daily update. All non-essential travel to be stopped, so you definitely shouldn't be expected to do that.

I’m a pregnant health care worker and have literally no idea what this means for me....I can’t really work from home ?!

I don't know what to do.

@easter I'm going to call him first thing and be rather assertive.
Luckily I can work from home with the help of phone, email etc.
Feeling rather worried for self employed people or those who physically need to be at work.

I think it means restricting social contact for 12 weeks potentially but that's all I got from that

Someone in my office traveled back from Spain last week and was allowed in as it wasn't classified as a 'hotspot'. Now it is & the guidance at work is "if you have been in close contact with someone who has returned from a hotspot then you should isolate for 14 days". Colleague in question was sent home on Friday morning to self-isolate for 7 days but everyone at work who has been in 'close contact' with them is to stay at work?! Just doesn't make sense to me... I'm 20 weeks pregnant today & not really worried about catching the virus but want to make sure I'm following guidance

I'm not sure what to do RE going to work as I don't think 'business as usual' is the right course of action on this case? The company I work for will be paying normal pay if anyone is self isolating etc. so don't need to worry about that side of things.

It doesn't mean that.

Everyone is to start social distancing.

"Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said everyone in the UK should now avoid "non-essential" travel and contact with others to fight coronavirus.
"He said people should work from home where possible, as part of a range of stringent new measures"

But the vulnerable are to self isolate from the end of this week, and they also said that wouid be for at least 12 weeks

"Pregnant women, people over the age of 70 and those with certain health conditions should consider the advice "particularly important", he said.
"All elderly and vulnerable people must also begin self-isolating within days."

I am pregnant and on light duties due to my job role . I can't work from home and don't want to go sick as they start maternity leave early. Really don't know if they need to put something in place or if I just need to go sick ?

@VikingVolva Thank you, that was helpful.

So I'm guessing I need to speak to work about the next steps

Not based on anything but speculation - but having tried to find a answer to this I think they will draw the line between 'social isolation' and self isolation - I think particularly key workers who are pregnant will still be expected to work

Hopefully the gov will clarify in a few days

Guidance is here

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

@Cheesewine in writing link your employees to the government advice and politely ask them how they are going to implement it. It's up to them to have a business continuity plan for this and tell you what to do, whatever that may be.

@pandarific yeah thanks I think that will need to be the way forward so I have it in writing if they are not going to implement anything.