WFH if ill - I'm always ill!

[Noogar]

So, I have to WFH if I'm ill. Problem is I'm always ill and they are starting to get a bit frustrated (possibly disbelieving). I have a baby at nursery who I swear is getting a bug a week and then I seem to be picking them all up! Apart from a really nasty one I some how avoided. And then there's the teens who are also now getting colds etc at school.

Anyone else in the same position? What can I do to stop getting so many colds?! I make it in for 1 or 2 days then bam WFH again.

Oh and does anyone know if they can fire me over this?

Im not sure there's that much you can do other than enty of hand washing. You could try vitamin supplements- c, d, e and zinc.

If you are in your probationary period you can be fired for pretty much anything. If you are passed that then theyd have to put you through a competency process. Which would be tricky if you are doing the work and they are the ones telling you to work from home.

Just how ill is ill though? If you’re ok to WFH then what’s to stop you going in?

If it's their rule that you have to WFH if Poorly they can't really be annoyed at your for following it surely

@Iggly

Just how ill is ill though? If you’re ok to WFH then what’s to stop you going in?

Their rule is that we mustn't go in if unwell in anyway unless it's a preexisting condition or eg. something gynecological or that iis obviously not covid. But I'm getting sore throats and colds which can't be ruled out.

@Porcupineintherough

Im not sure there's that much you can do other than enty of hand washing. You could try vitamin supplements- c, d, e and zinc.

Ooh thank you! Good idea. I'm doing all the handwashing/mask/trying to space even though no one else seems to be bothering. There's one other person in a similar position but they are on probation period but I've been there 3+ years.

Take mega doses of Vit D. Your immune system cant work well without it and most people are deficient. I take 2000 iui daily in the winter. Doctors prescribe up to 50,000 per week for 6 weeks for an immune boost. Dont take that much on your own, but do try some

Which would be tricky if you are doing the work and they are the ones telling you to work from home. ok cool so I need to just make sure I absolutely hammer the work if I'm WFH.

If your sick your sick, they shouldn't really be telling people to wfh when sick, they should be telling people to be off if sick.

Sniffles/colds/coughs etc are tricky, I'd rather people didn't come in if sick and spread it on. I thought that one thing we'd learned through this whole wfh thing was common sense on that front.

At my work the company are saying the same as yours, however the line manager above me is making up his own rules and telling people that unless it's covid they should come in.

Do you have lateral flow tests? They’re not great but better than nothing so I would use those.

Not much help but I was in your position 30 odd years ago. Now I’m in my 50’s. I had a virus Feb 2010 one in Oct 2016 and one March 2020 (possibly covid). So there is hope in the future!

@TheNinjaWife

Not much help but I was in your position 30 odd years ago. Now I’m in my 50’s. I had a virus Feb 2010 one in Oct 2016 and one March 2020 (possibly covid). So there is hope in the future!

I'm the same. I'm 49 and have had about 3 colds in the last 10 years. Used to get loads when i was younger. I think i have hit the sweet spot of being old enough to have met lots of viruses before and young enough to fight them off!

This is me. My son us at nursery and I'm 32 weeks pregnant and I've been ill on and off all sodding year. Luckily not been in office yet but I have had to just be off sick. I've had 4 periods off sick thus year and luckily the last one the Dr out pregnancy related so work cannot use it against me..
If u wasn't pregnant my workplace have a "3 instance in 52 week rolling period" and any more than that kicks in a capability meeting thing.
So yes they can fire you. Check your work policy for the situation.

I guess if you are ill but still working and that's on their advice there isn't much they can do?

I would definitely recommend vitamin D supplements. The level of defiency in the population is very high. I take 2000iu daily all year round. A blood test would be a good to find out current level. Zinc and vitamin C also support immune function.

Have you always suffered with regular colds etc or just since the periods of lockdown? The level of immunity to the regular cold viruses has reduced across the population as there has been little exposure. Usually you would be asymptomatically infected with many of these viruses and your immune system would fight them off before you had symptoms.

Honestly me. I think it’s really normal when you have young kids! I have two, one at school & one at nursery. I’m constantly ill 🙈 But mostly just minor colds & sore throats & feeling a bit naff.

Depends what your work define as ill I guess. Maybe ask them where they draw the line? Are they happy to have you in with a cold & sneezing? Explain you have kids & catch everything going.. it is honestly quite normal & really doesn’t mean you aren’t healthy!

Just talk to them about it. The kids are at nursery, have had lots of bugs, you don't want to take the piss so do they want you to come in with the next cold.

Have you always suffered with regular colds etc or just since the periods of lockdown? yes just since lockdown. Well just since LO started nursery after lockdown!

Just talk to them about it. The kids are at nursery, have had lots of bugs, you don't want to take the piss so do they want you to come in with the next cold. that sounds a good idea.

I will also recommend vitamin d. After about 4 incidences of GP prescribed high level of vitamin D courses in 6 years my GP advised me to take the maximum OTC dose possible every day. Never had a deficiency since and catch fewer colds etc. Vitamin d deficiencies are so common and can develop quickly when the weather turns.

About 5 years ago I had a bad vitamin d deficiency and had an awful winter, I just got cold and bug after bug after bug. It was also a horribly stressful time too which didn't help. Once I'd been on the vitamin D for a few weeks I really perked up physically and the colds and bugs eased off.

Social distancing means you've probably been exposed to fewer bugs than normal until recently so it's a shock to the system.

It probably wouldn't hurt to see your GP and get some bloods done though. You may need a proper prescribed course of something and good to check there isn't another cause.

Thanks @FeedMeSantiago. It feels a bit silly making an appointment but like you say might be best to just see if they do want to do blood tests.

I am the same, I have a permanent low level cold all winter it feels like. I carry on going into work unless I have obvious symptoms- lots of sneezing, coughing really runny nose etc. I do lateral flow tests a lot.

Use the first defence spray - it really does work. Also vitamins, plenty of hand washing.

Are you asking because you don't like WFH or because they are getting annoyed? If the latter, it's their silly policy that means most people through the autumn/winter will have sniffles- particularly this year as our immune systems have been reset.

Are you sure it’s not allergies? Allergies present like colds for me and I’m full of it everyday few days