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I'm really scared. Not allowed to wear a mask at work

436 replies

LavenderLilacTree · 11/05/2020 22:24

It's just to vent really as I know there is no way round it.

I am really scared. I am a TA and when all the pupils are back in school we aren't allowed to wear face masks or any PPE. Social distancing is not going to happen.

The government have said only go back to work if it's safe and you can ensure social distancing, well it's not going to be safe for me. Government say to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces but teachers and TAs are not allowed to.

I am scared. I am in my 40s and have 3 children in Yr 8, Yr 7 and Yr 5 . I know it's a 3% chance of dying but to me that's not an insignificant risk. I would never take part in any activity that had a 3% chance of dying.

I just feel like the government doesn't value my life. This is a deadly virus that KILLS, i want to wear a mask. My life matters to me, my husband and my children.

It's scary at work at the moment but we only have 4- 7 kids in. When we have a full school it's going to be impossible to stay 2 meters apart so therefore you feel I should at least be able to wear a mask.

I love my job and the children at school but I don't want to give my life for it. I just think I should be able to have some form of protection. It's like my life doesn't matter.

OP posts:
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godhelpusall · 12/05/2020 10:14

It's not just about dying. It's about the chance of getting very ill. And long term effects on health. Does nobody rtft? Or are these just tory bots that churn out propaganda all day long?

Wiaa · 12/05/2020 10:15

Ive not rtft but approx 0.05% of the entire population have died with covid 19

godhelpusall · 12/05/2020 10:25

Right. And my point is that it shouldn't just be death that people fear. It is long term illness and the consequences of that. Which we won't know for a while.

Chillipeanuts · 12/05/2020 10:27

“Masks stop the spread. Not the catching.”

Well, they surely prevent both by default, if everyone wears one?

Mittens030869 · 12/05/2020 10:28

there have been 223 000 people in the Uk infected, and of those, 32 000 have sadly died. That's 0.3% infected, and 0.047% deaths out of the whole population of the UK.

No, because they're not testing in the community! I wasn't tested but the GPs in my surgery agree that I probably have it or did have it and am now having secondary infections.

If the official results were correct, the chance of death would be 10%, and it would mean that a high proportion were needing to be hospitalised!

Bloomburger · 12/05/2020 10:31

But isn't it proven that children don't spread it to adults and don't get it seriously themselves?

OP maybe you're worry unnecessarily?

Alex50 · 12/05/2020 10:32

Interesting article how Denmark have started getting children back to school, children or teachers are not wearing masks:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52550470

PineappleDanish · 12/05/2020 10:32

It's not just about dying.

Given that the OP explicitly says "I know it's a 3% chance of dying but to me that's not an insignificant risk" it is absolutely about her dying. She doesn't even mention getting very ill. She is talking doom, gloom, death and destruction based on figures she's conjured out of thin air.

Stop trying to ramp up the drama even further by twisting the OP to try and convince others that she's actually right.

Mittens030869 · 12/05/2020 10:37

@Bloomburger They're not saying that children don't catch it. It's not been proven either way. The issue is that they mostly don't get infected badly with it. I find it hard to believe that a child who is coughing won't pass the infection on, especially if they forget to cover their mouths.

However, children who are experiencing symptoms should be self-isolating at home. Hence it's their parents who will be at risk. (It's possible that I caught it from DD2 (8!. It's not definite as we could both have caught it in the same place and not from each other.

TP67 · 12/05/2020 10:39

@Wiaa

It’s not even that high.

0.0005% of the population has died from this virus.

Mittens030869 · 12/05/2020 10:42

@PineappleDanish

But you're guilty of minimising too much. The fear isn't totally irrational, as some of us have found to our cost. Those stats quoted earlier would actually make it look like the death rate was 10%, which would be even more scary potentially for the OP.

A lot of people are catching it. If the OP is young and fit, then her personal risk is very low

TP67 · 12/05/2020 10:43

@Wiaa

Sorry that should be 0.05%. You were right. Apologies.

godhelpusall · 12/05/2020 10:44

@PineappleDanish as an earlier poster has pointed out, due to the lack of testing nobody has the correct figures. The issue is that this virus has been turned into a polarised situation- you are either fine or dead. I am offering my experience of the vast grey area between which includes being very ill, very frightened and for some, long term ill effects. I think it's negligent for this to not be discussed; it leads to this unhelpful split and the sneering comments comparing the risk of dying with car accidents.

Clemmieandareallybigbunfight · 12/05/2020 10:44

You are not going to die from not wearing a mask op. You might die from many causes as may we all. That's life (and death)

Mittens030869 · 12/05/2020 10:45

Posted too soon. I meant to say that if the OP is under 59 and healthy, not just if she's young. Unless she has underlying health issues, but I suspect she would have said so if that were the case.

So your personal risk is low, OP. Not of catching it so much, but you're probably at no more risk from it than you would be if flu.

Givenupno · 12/05/2020 10:48

BBC news just now.

Additional deaths over ten year average through March were 50,000.

That’s the same figure (roughly) as 2017/18 when there was a bad flu season - granted there has been a partial lockdown in place

Bluntness100 · 12/05/2020 10:51

Some of these posts. 😱

The facts on the death rates are out there, and they are out there by demongraphic, it’s genuinely likely to be about half a percentage point across the whole population and a thousandth of percentage point if you’re a healthy adult under sixty five or a child. There is no way round the fact only approx 150 healthy people below 65 have died.

I really can’t understand that no matter how many times experts stand up and say the most common symptom is no symptom, and that the over whelming majority of people will either have no symptoms or a mild cold and not even know they have it, and that the people who die are either elderly or have an underlying condition some folks still believe it’s all a lie and everyone is going to die. That if they catch it it is certain death.

If that was the case don’t you think we’d have seen it globally? Billions of deaths. People need to pause a moment and think ok why are so few healthy people under 65 dying. What does this mean to me in terms of potential to die.

Is there other diseases I could catch that are out there that could also kill me. Ie seasonal flu if I’m not vaccinated. Am I scared to go to work because of it, do I go out with a mask on, wash my shopping because it’s winter.?

If not. Then what’s the difference with Covid? It’s the scare stories, the lock downs, the focus. That’s the difference.

Yes we have an unvaccinated disease in the human population. Yes it’s new, and two months ago no one knew what they know now. Every day they learn more. Every day more data comes out. We know rhe death rates. We know rhe demogrpahics more impacted. We know which demographic we are in.

Of course we need to be cautious. Or as the government says stay alert. Of course we need to take precautions to stop the spread because people are vulnerable and don’t always protect themselves. Of course we need to ensure the nhs isn’t over whelmed because anyone who needs treatment has to have it, or the death rate will rise hugely.

But this does not mean we should be scared to leave our homes. It doesn’t mean we should down tools as a society and hide. It doesn’t mean if a healthy person below 65 gets it they will die. It doesn’t even mean a healthy 100 year old will die. They have a likely near ninety percent chance of survival.

Yes the numbers are horrific when millions of people get it all at once Yes it becomes impossible for health services to cope. Yes it’s new so we don’t have the treatment or the vaccine available. But again this doesn’t mean hide in your home or panic until one is. It means use common sense and take the precautions and stop the bloody spread of it until we can cure or vaccinate it.

If you’re a healthy adult with a child in school. Or a teacher even. Then your risk is beyond tiny. But don’t be going and seeing granny. Wandering round and not using ppe and giving it to the elderly man in the shopping queue. Giving it to the vulnerable person sitting on the park bench beside you.

Be sensible and follow the guidance but don’t panic you’re going to die.

Mittens030869 · 12/05/2020 10:51

I'm having long term effects, but I'm 50 and had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, as a result of having had pneumonia last year (as a result of flu), so I'm not a typical example.

But don't dismiss people who are trying to have a realistic discussion about the risks involved. We get that every year from flu, with some people thinking it's simply a bad cold, which it most certainly isn't. But most people live with that risk, and don't have the flu jab.

The panic is disproportionate. We have to learn to live with risk. When I was in Africa, people didn't go into a blind panic every time there's a mosquito in the room. Despite the real risk of catching malaria.

TheLastSaola · 12/05/2020 10:54

Anyone who is frightened of getting ill should never work in a school.

They are vile petri dishes of infection because children are disgusting.

Norovirus, influenza, rotavirus, on top of loads of many nastier diseases all circulate more widely in schools than in the general population. All these can and do lead to severe illness and even death in a small minority of cases.

It is not that Coronavirus doesn't carry risk, it's that the risk of Coronavirus is proportional to all the inherent risk that is already assumed by working in a school.

PineappleDanish · 12/05/2020 10:55

* Applauds Bluntness *

It also doesn't mean that the long term effects of a global recession, or the impacts on mental health and wellbeing of staying confined to your own home for 8 weeks and counting should be ignored.

Bluntness100 · 12/05/2020 10:56

And that’s a really important point. Following the guidance.

Because the over whelimg truth is if you catch it you will likely not know. But you will be contagious. So you need to follow the precautions required so you don’t give it to the elderly or the medically vulnerable.

That’s why it’s a silent killer. Because so many have no symptoms. You can pass it on to someone who it will in fact kill. Without even knowing you had it, because they are elderly or having a medical condition.

It is not a silent killer because it kills everyone. It’s a silent killer because so many have no symptoms and will be contagious.

PineappleDanish · 12/05/2020 10:57

I'm having long term effects, but I'm 50 and had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, as a result of having had pneumonia last year (as a result of flu), so I'm not a typical example.

But you're not dead. Which is what the OP thinks she'll be, at a younger age and without any of your medical history.

NoMorePoliticsPlease · 12/05/2020 10:59

The conclusion is that it is most unlikely small children are spreaders. A mask would not be of any use to you. It might reduce the chance of you giving it to others on a bus or tube or crowded shop.Would you guarantee not to adjust the mask if it slipped? Would you change it every half hour? This is not an issue about a mask, it is whether you want to go back to work

Cookiecrisps · 12/05/2020 11:01

I agree with the posters who are saying it’s not just about the death rates bit that grey area in the middle of being ill. We know that Coronavirus can make people very ill. Some will require hospital treatment whilst others will be suffering with symptoms for many weeks at home including fatigue and issues with breathing. There will also be people who have mild symptoms. You cannot necessarily predict how severely you will be affected. It is not just the elderly or those with pre existing health conditions who can have symptoms for weeks. We are still learning about the effects on health. What are these long term?

RigaBalsam · 12/05/2020 11:01

The conclusion is that it is most unlikely small children are spreaders.

Erm depends which research you read.

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