Ill colleague came into work

[Zig27]

I am doing some temp office work at my old employer. My colleague booked for me to go in the office. I left after half an hour as someone had gone in with a cold and was coughing, puffing and sniffing in the office without a mask on. I left as I didn’t want to put my health at risk with covid so I emailed my colleague and advised her. I didn’t want to not be honest and lie because she would check up to see if I had been in the office. It’s not fair of the ill person to put others at risk too as I have to care for be elderly relative.

Later I rang her to clarify a work query I was unsure of. She was quite stand offish and talked down to me. I think she feels inconvenienced for booking me in the office as I had internet issues at home yesterday but they are fine now. though she wouldn’t go in. Why was it wrong of me to be honest and say why I am working from home instead. I don’t feel safe at work with someone bringing in a cold. It’s a temp job so I’m not risking my health.

So people are expecting to never catch a cold or the flu again? Get a grip

So you’re not actively trying to minimise your chances of having to test/isolate your household or are you just not bothering?

I don’t know about you but I’m pretty keen to avoid any more disruption to my household whilst testing and isolating requirements are in place.

If she did a Covid test then it's fine. It's a cold. No idea why she'd go in, if she could WFH though. Surely she'd prefer that if she felt crap.

However, we can't have everyone staying home just because of a cold.

Well thats a flounce if I ever saw one. Same response on the other thread.

If you came here for validation that walking out of your job was correct, you are barking up the wrong tree. If you don't need the job, don't go back. A cold is not covid. Unless you are CV, the risk is minimal.

Does the company pay full sickness pay or just SSP. If it's SSP I don't blame them for going in...nobody can survive on that.

@Cornettoninja

So people are expecting to never catch a cold or the flu again? Get a grip

So you’re not actively trying to minimise your chances of having to test/isolate your household or are you just not bothering?

I don’t know about you but I’m pretty keen to avoid any more disruption to my household whilst testing and isolating requirements are in place.

Actually I'm currently waiting for my DD's test results and isolating as I have ever month since November whenever she gets a snotty nose. I am aware of how disruptive it is.

If I catch a cold and have a cough or a temp I would have a PCR. But would I go into work if I had a cold that I knew was a cold? Yes. It is quite scary how people have become terrified of catching anything.

@Cornettoninja

So people are expecting to never catch a cold or the flu again? Get a grip

So you’re not actively trying to minimise your chances of having to test/isolate your household or are you just not bothering?

I don’t know about you but I’m pretty keen to avoid any more disruption to my household whilst testing and isolating requirements are in place.

Avoiding having to isolate while test and isolate is still a thing is very different from expecting never to catch a cold or flu ever again for the rest of your life once things are normal and isolating stops. It's completely unrealistic.

I constantly have coughs and colds. I always have done. I couldn't possibly be expected to stay off work with every sniffle, I'd lose my job! Covid has alot to answer for.

My point is if you have the option to work from home why on earth go and spread something that you know will cause problems for people if they develop the same symptoms? Likewise if you could remove yourself from the situation with minimal fuss why wouldn’t you?

It’s not about never catching anything, it’s about keeping your chances of having to isolate (and lose more time from work/school/caring duties/social life) to a minimum if you can. Of course there are going to be scenarios where that just isn’t possible but this isn’t one of them.

I would have asked if they had taken a covid test for the cough. Their response would have determined my action.

I wouldn’t have just left the office. They could have had a negative PCR and be well within their rights to be there.

@Cornettoninja

My point is if you have the option to work from home why on earth go and spread something that you know will cause problems for people if they develop the same symptoms? Likewise if you could remove yourself from the situation with minimal fuss why wouldn’t you?

It’s not about never catching anything, it’s about keeping your chances of having to isolate (and lose more time from work/school/caring duties/social life) to a minimum if you can. Of course there are going to be scenarios where that just isn’t possible but this isn’t one of them.

This