How high is my risk?

[Kaylasmum49]

I work as a checkout operator in Asda, we have screens in place but I think they are pretty useless. Most customers wear face masks but there are the odd few who don't or wear them incorrectly. I always wear mine and sanitise my hands at regular intervals.

During the first lockdown in March I took 3 months unpaid leave as I was so afraid of catching covid. I have severe health anxiety and this has made it so much worse. Now with the new variant I am actually terrified, I don't know how safe I am at work. I have been thinking of getting signed off with the stress it's causing me.

Anyone have any opinions?

You haven’t said how old you are, health conditions etc. So no way to estimate your risk.

Why do you believe the screens are pretty useless? From the customer side they look quite protective.

I am 54 and overweight due to a condition called lipoedema.

The screens are completely open where the customer packs their bags, I don't feel they offer any protection to anyone because of that fact.

Maybe speak to your employer then, maybe they can give you different shifts or warehouse work?

I would get signed off with stress. Your risk seems pretty high and customer behaviour has been shocking.

risk of getting it or your risk of getting it badly?

Because of the lipoedema I am restricted to the work that I can do physically.

Just wondering what the risk is in general working in a supermarket

@Mousehole10

You haven’t said how old you are, health conditions etc. So no way to estimate your risk.

Even with that information how would you do a meaningful calculation of the risk? You'd need to know what a person does all day, what the rate of infection is in all the places they go together with the R rate for each place, the same information for their household members.... the list goes on

TL:DR - no one can say

I'm not asking for a precise calculation, just wondering what other people's thoughts are.

The risk working in retail is higher than for the general population and the NHS but lower than for security guards and taxi drivers.

You would get written off work with anxiety not stress.

It is not unusual. I am in retail and many of my colleagues are off with mental health issues due to COVID risk and increase in customer abuse.

Well as a fellow lipoedema person, I think it's the best sort of overweight to be, as the excess weight is on our legs and bum and not pressing around our organs. I guess we have the "trunk" of a less overweight person.

There is a risk of dying calculator here which I found comforting. My risk was 1 in 27778 which as an obese 50 year old I found reassuring.

www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/how-to-find-out-your-risk-when-it-comes-to-coronavirus

Scroll down to the Qcovid tool.

The regular blue surgial type masks are to protect others- a bit! You need a properly fitting FFP3 mask to actually protect YOU. You can get them from screwfix, B&Q, online etc and come in various styles such as disposable filters. They are used for asbestos and cases where you need to protect the wearer. I used to work in a specialist repiratory viral unit, working with flu and other airborne diseases and that is what we had to use.

So are most masks not protective in any way then?

RosesforMama thanks for the link. I have wondered if it would make a difference with lipoedema considering where the fat is on my body. Most of my weight is on my lower body although I do have lipoedema on my upper arms.

@Kaylasmum49

I'm not asking for a precise calculation, just wondering what other people's thoughts are.

In the nicest possible way if you are anxious about your risk what does it matter what random posters think it might be. Only the actual risk (which you can't quantify) is what's relevant.

Suppose I tell you I think it's really really high and the next poster tells you not to worry about it you'll be fine, then the next that it's medium - how does that help you?

Genuine question, I don't have anxiety so obviously can't compehend what it's like but it seems strange to me that opinions with no scientific basis would be of any use to you. Wouldn't it be better to take every precaution that you can and know that you'd lowered the risk to the best of your ability?

I just wanted people's opinions on how much of a risk working in a supermarket is, I didn't really think much beyond that

And I already stated that I do everything I can to keep myself safe but I can't control what other people do.

@Kaylasmum49

I just wanted people's opinions on how much of a risk working in a supermarket is, I didn't really think much beyond that

I don't think my answers are going to be of any use to you, sorry, I thought you wanted to know what the risk actually is rather than what people think it is.

I will bow out then, I don't really get what you're after

Who would know what the actual risk is? I was looking for opinions

No one knows what the actual risk is. All you'll find is estimates based on a range of factors.

The OP is asking a sensible question. She wants estimates of the risk, not to be told that the actual risk is unknown. She’s not asking for a pin a tail on the donkey answer.

The info released on this OP is that that retail workers are at an above average risk of dying of COVID but their risk is lower than security guards and taxi drivers, who are at the highest risk.

What is more important is how anxious you are feeling. If you are having extreme anxiety symptoms you should not be in work.