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Original poster

People coming in to work with new coughs

125 replies

Whathefisgoingon · 02/07/2021 15:00

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.

OP posts:
JeanClaudeVanDammit · 02/07/2021 15:34

If they know it’s a normal cough for them, because of their asthma, I think it’s reasonable. I’ve read the press about the Delta variant causing more sneezing. I’m sneezing my head off at the moment, just as I do every single June and July. This is completely normal for me, so am I fuck isolating or having a Covid test every day.

You sound uncomfortable generally with the situation, a working from home request could be the way to go.

Longestfewdaysupcoming · 02/07/2021 15:34

It’s as well I WFH because I’d be kicking up a huge stink if I had to go for a PCR due to asthma and hay fever.

Original poster
Whathefisgoingon · 02/07/2021 15:35

He doesn’t normally leave work coughing like this! I’ve worked with him for a while.

I have asked to work from home and my request was denied despite being able to do the job from home. Everyone has been forced in to the office for months now.

OP posts:
osbertthesyrianhamster · 02/07/2021 15:42

@Whathefisgoingon

He doesn’t normally leave work coughing like this! I’ve worked with him for a while.

I have asked to work from home and my request was denied despite being able to do the job from home. Everyone has been forced in to the office for months now.

You want to be treated specially and wfh. No on is forced into an office, they can quit their jobs if their requests is denied and find another employer. You're looking to find a way to be treated specially because you don't like the terms of the employment - the wfh was always meant to be temporary unless it was part of your contract before the pandemic.
Original poster
Whathefisgoingon · 02/07/2021 15:43

@osbertthesyrianhamster no... I want my work to follow the guidance which is “work from home if you can”, which we can.

OP posts:
osbertthesyrianhamster · 02/07/2021 15:49

[quote Whathefisgoingon]@osbertthesyrianhamster no... I want my work to follow the guidance which is “work from home if you can”, which we can.[/quote]
Then he's the one who should work from home. But your motive is very clear. And it's just that, guidance. They have decided it doesn't suit their business model. If you don't like that, you need to find a new job, not use Covid as an eternal pretext.

auldmaw · 02/07/2021 15:51

My DC (3 years) and I both recently had a new cough. His was continuous and mine was persistent but not as bad as his.

Because of my job I've been doing LFT's twice per week since last year. They've always been negative.

My sons nursery asked for him to get a PCR test (don't even start me on how many he's had to have done). When I phoned to book him, I also asked to be booked in given my own cough. I was refused a PCR as my cough wasn't continuous for more than an hour at a time and I had no other symptoms. I was advised to get a LFT and when I said I do them routinely and they're negative I was told to go by that result.

As it happens, my son was booked in to get his at a temp community hub and they offered to test me anyway while I was there. We were both negative.

I went in to work (with my cough) as soon as we had our results.

My point in making this post is to say that the official guidance I was given by the NHS was to go by my LFT. I was refused the opportunity to book a PCR test despite having a cough.

Coughs existed before covid.

Reddip · 02/07/2021 15:54

Hmm, wasn't there a review that found LFT are actually better at identifying people with symptoms than without? I know it's not official rules, but if they've got a negative LFT then personally I wouldn't bat an eyelid.

MrsLCSofLichfield · 02/07/2021 15:58

This reply has been deleted

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osbertthesyrianhamster · 02/07/2021 16:02

[quote MrsLCSofLichfield]OP, I suggest you ignore posts telling you to suck it up from posters who don't even work and have said as much on here. It's pointless arguing with people like this, they just enjoy being sadistic.

I'm sorry your employer is not following govt guidance, which is indeed still work from home if you can www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do#going-to-work[/quote]
How do you know what people do for a living Hmm?

And guidance is just that, it's not the law.

Original poster
Whathefisgoingon · 02/07/2021 16:05

@MrsLCSofLichfield agreed. I don’t understand them. Very odd. Confused

OP posts:
Howcanthisbe123 · 02/07/2021 16:06

It’s just guidance, they don’t have to follow it.

Longestfewdaysupcoming · 02/07/2021 16:07

I work I even said so.

It’s only guidance not law that you should work from home.

You have no right to know about anyone else’s private health information.

MrsLCSofLichfield · 02/07/2021 16:08

Pointless arguing with stirrers like I said, goodbye Osbert.

Hope you stay well, OP.

21Bee · 02/07/2021 16:09

Having asthma, I know full well when I have a cough from asthma and one from something else. Mines particularly bad at the moment as a result of hay fever. Presumably the colleague went home, took appropriate treatment and has come in today now he feels well. There is no way I’ll be isolating every time I cough from asthma to make other people feel better.

CovidCorvid · 02/07/2021 16:09

He might not normally leave work coughing like that but he may sporadically have coughing fits like that due to his asthma that you just haven’t witnessed before. A colleague of mine can be like this with her asthma but she can be months between her asthma flaring up like that and not always at work. 3 years working together and I’ve only seen her bad with it once.

LivinLaVidaLoki · 02/07/2021 16:10

@21Bee

Having asthma, I know full well when I have a cough from asthma and one from something else. Mines particularly bad at the moment as a result of hay fever. Presumably the colleague went home, took appropriate treatment and has come in today now he feels well. There is no way I’ll be isolating every time I cough from asthma to make other people feel better.
thank you for putting this a lot better than I did. I am in the same boat as you.
Longestfewdaysupcoming · 02/07/2021 16:12

@21Bee

Having asthma, I know full well when I have a cough from asthma and one from something else. Mines particularly bad at the moment as a result of hay fever. Presumably the colleague went home, took appropriate treatment and has come in today now he feels well. There is no way I’ll be isolating every time I cough from asthma to make other people feel better.
Me too
Pinuporc · 02/07/2021 16:21

A guy in the next office from me has been coughing all week, and i feel quite stressed out about it. . I am a lot more than 2 metres away but I've been closing the door to their office every time I go past. He showed a lateral flow negative test but hes anti mask and anti vax, I'm not even convinced it's his own test. Hes self employed.

Puddington · 02/07/2021 16:38

@21Bee

Having asthma, I know full well when I have a cough from asthma and one from something else. Mines particularly bad at the moment as a result of hay fever. Presumably the colleague went home, took appropriate treatment and has come in today now he feels well. There is no way I’ll be isolating every time I cough from asthma to make other people feel better.
I have to agree with this, some winters are worse than others for me with my asthma and colds getting to my chest, but if I had to stay home for however long every time I had a cough I'd be off work for months and end up either broke or fired Sad
Original poster
Whathefisgoingon · 02/07/2021 16:48

Thanks all. I don’t think I’m going to take it further with HR this time, it feels like me against the company since they don’t care and it’s a losing battle.

It’s just a matter of time until half of the office is having to isolate and perhaps then they’ll learn their lesson.

OP posts:
AliceLivesHere · 02/07/2021 16:57

[quote Whathefisgoingon]@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.[/quote]
Many people with asthma cough when it flares up.

It is quite possible that the person off work self isolating has been in contact with another person other than the asthmatic individual.

osbertthesyrianhamster · 02/07/2021 17:04

@MrsLCSofLichfield

Pointless arguing with stirrers like I said, goodbye Osbert.

Hope you stay well, OP.

Where are you headed, Mrs? Hmm Best of luck to you wherever it is.

It's guidance, not law. It doesn't work for their business. If their employees don't like the terms and conditions of their employment, they are free to seek employment elsewhere.

Dragonn · 02/07/2021 17:17

@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 archaic. People can ask for their contracts and work patterns to be made flexible, or to have reasonable adjustments made, even if its because they just want to. Companies must consider it. It attitudes like this that keep us stuck in old ways of working, keeping people down trodden and in their place.
Whatshouldicallme · 02/07/2021 17:41

There are some absolutely ridiculous responses on this thread. Of course you should raise with management if people are not following COVID safety guidelines and putting you at risk...the same way you'd raise with management any safety issue in a workplace.

It's really difficult to understand the bizarre reactions of some people.