People coming in to work with new coughs

[Whathefisgoingon]

Someone at my workplace had to go home yesterday as they felt unwell and had a bad cough.

Today they are in like nothing has happened, no PCR test has been done, just lateral flows.

This has happened a few times.

Where do I stand? I don’t feel comfortable with it.

Are you vaccinated?

Yes, but I have a baby and don’t want to pass it on. I meant more so where do I stand with work as we are all forced to work from the office even though we can work from home.

Presumably the person's LFT was negative and they are distanced from you, and wearing a mask.

Maybe they've got a cold.

@Whathefisgoingon

Yes, but I have a baby and don’t want to pass it on. I meant more so where do I stand with work as we are all forced to work from the office even though we can work from home.

Ahh. You want to go back to WFH. Ask about changing your working conditions if that's what you want.

What has your Line Manager said?

@Geamhradh

Presumably the person's LFT was negative and they are distanced from you, and wearing a mask.

Maybe they've got a cold.

Lft are for when you dont have symptoms. This person has one of the main symptom and as such, should do a PCR and isolate til the results come back

If you’ve got symptoms you’re supposed to do a PCR not a lateral flow. I don’t mind working in the office but I do mine if they’re not going to follow basic guidelines.

If you are unable to work from a fear of germs you should sign off on sick leave and try to get treatment or get a job where you can work in an isolated environment.

What is your office practice?

@l2b2 Nothing, they don’t get involved. Different department but same work space.

Not sure why you're being attacked OP. The person with the new cough should be booking a symptomatic PCR test and isolating in the interim whilst waiting for the results.

Do I have a right to question this with management?

@l2b2

Not sure why you're being attacked OP. The person with the new cough should be booking a symptomatic PCR test and isolating in the interim whilst waiting for the results.

This

@Middlesboroughgirl

If you are unable to work from a fear of germs you should sign off on sick leave and try to get treatment or get a job where you can work in an isolated environment.

How obtuse

The staff member has a symptom of covid and is not following the rules.

But how dare the OP be annoyed by it.

Your baby is at very low risk a) of you passing it on to them and b) of being seriously ill if they do contract it. I understand it’s hard to go back into work and it’s normal to feel somewhat anxious but, in the nicest possible way, you are over reacting. You will come into contact with lots of people on a daily basis who may have some symptoms and may not have tested.

Just wanted to clarify a new cough isnt a covid symptom.
a new continuous cough is.

We are now pretty much at peak hay fever season, people will cough. I have asthma triggered by allergies, so I sometimes cough.

Would I want everyone at work to expect me to be constantly going home and testing because of this? No. Because a new cough alone is not a symptom and Im getting bloody annoyed with people treating me like a leper just because I let out the occasional cough.

Just wanted to clarify a new cough isnt a covid symptom.
a new continuous cough is

No one I know who had Covid had a continuous cough.

OP I would go to HR absolutely.

How do you know the person didn't get a PCR test with results back early the next morning? Under 24 hours is pretty common.

@MRex

A senior member of staff has said they haven’t had a PCR because they’re asthmatic so that’s the reason they were unwell yesterday.

The person that sits directly opposite this person is currently off work as they’ve been asked to self isolate due to close contact with a confirmed case.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor I went to HR last time and was assured that anyone calling in sick is assessed and if any covid symptoms are present then they need a negative PCR to return.

This person left half way through the day and came in the next day so I suspect it slipped through the net and management dont care.

Go back again and explain, they have a duty or care to make sure staff are as safe as possible.

So they are asthmatic? Probably the reason they have a cough.

Your manager should be sending that person home and advising them to get tested. Ffs, it's not like it's news to anyone by this stage that that's the correct course of action.

I cough due to hay fever and asthma. I don’t have COVID. But that is none of anyone else business.

Do you have a union at all? If so, I'd ask them to take it up with HR. I'm sorry to hear you are having to deal with this, OP, some people are just dumb.