DH working in a hospital

[beggingforsleep]

My DH works in a London hospital, not as a doctor or nurse. He is still commuting in to work every day and although he could WFH the hospital policy is that everyone is needed on site. I don't agree with that but it is what it is.

However we have two very young children and have recently moved in with my DM who is in her early seventies. She's very healthy and active but is in the at risk age group.

I'm getting uneasy about the whole situation. Would I be unreasonable to ask him to rent somewhere in town for the next few weeks/months?! He's a sensitive soul, that time away from the DCs would be incredibly hard for him and he's also worried about his own DF who has a multitude of underlying health conditions and is in another part of the country so it will be a long time till he can see him. That and the stress he is under at work with the worsening situation means his mental health is fragile.

I've answered my own question there I think. So maybe it would just be good to hear from people in a similar situation and how they're keeping their and their partners spirits up and any tips I might not have thought of for trying to keep the virus at bay when it's impossible to isolate ourselves?

I don't know what the answer is but with what we're about to face in hospital, if my husband asked me to live elsewhere and I couldn't come home and sleep in my bed and have a conversation with my little family and drink tea from my mug...well, I don't think I'd last very long tbh.

No answer for you but I'm wondering the same. DP teaches in a school which is a substantial drive away. A lot of vulnerable children and he is likely to pick up the virus. It would sound bad for me to suggest this I think.

The NHS are not following the governments advice on working from home where possible, they should be leading by example

Our trust is booking accommodation for staff who are worried about taking it home to vulnerable family members

Thanks for your replies. Yes, I know I can't ask him to do it. It would make me feel awful too and incredibly worried for him.

I'm just struggling with the lack of control I guess. It is within a lot of people's power to avoid catching it by strictly adhering to social distancing and good hygiene. I just want to lock myself and my family away for a couple of months

That's a bit broad brush @PinglePongle. Most Trusts I know of (at least 4) are allowing WFH

That's refreshing to know, I am speaking from experience of my own I guess which are not and it's quite scary that it is in individual managers hands

Such tricky decisions. I've been nursing people with Covid 19. Obviously I wear PPE at work.
BUT I am sleeping in a separate room to DH. I shower as soon as I'm home. I completely change all my clothes before I come home. Today, I got home at 5pm and I have been alone in my bedroom ever since.
It's very difficult but this is how I've chosen to handle it at home.

@paradyning yes, they're doing that but we're not really vulnerable. We should all be fine if we got it.

The answer might just be avoiding the news and throwing myself into enjoying the concentrated time with the children. The news isn't helping my anxiety at all!

@ksa103 don't know the right words to use but thank you for everything you're doing. It must be very stressful for you, especially with all the unknowns and predictions for rises in cases.

I hope you stay healthy, and your family too.