Anyone had work mates refuse to work with them?

[Chipsinthewoods]

So the new rules mean you don’t have to isolate if you are double vaccinated and have been in contact, just mask and LFTs. At my work, multiple staff members are up in arms about a staff member who is negative but has a positive case at home. Multiple people are refusing to work with her (all vaccinated but older workforce/vulnerable spouses etc)

We have a positive case now - one of my teen children (adults negative) but I am worried that there could be a domino effect. Big boss at work said they only need to know about positives and to keep testing each day before work but I am expected to work if negative.

I feel really conflicted whether I am expected to tell people so they can all walk out if they want to, fall on my sword - take unpaid time off and risk my job, or stick to my basic obligations and follow the rules quietly.

Has anyone else experienced this?

My workplace won't let us back in till have had PCR if case in house and recommend daily lft. School is now same.
This seems to have stopped similar rumblings

Mine has said the same but it hasn’t stopped the rumblings in our place… they don’t believe the tests.

Poor you OP.
We had positives cases in the families of our co-workers. We were told. And we carried out as per rules. LFT for the worker in particular.
It felt a bit scary, as you get worried of getting it, but actually no one caught it. We are all double jabbed by now.
I have not heard of behaviour like your coworkers.
I think you do need to follow the current employment guides. They say you are to carry on working. So at least you can take annual leave, do not risk your job for this. Think about your family. Your colleagues will find themselves in a similar situation soon enough.

Thank you, there is a definite divide between the younger staff with children who are just working within the rules and the older ones who are frightened of everything

No experience yet but I’ve got two positive cases in my household. Took a PCR test and isolated while waiting for the result as I had cold symptoms with a cough. My PCR was negative, symptoms gone, LFTs everyday are negative. So I can go to work on Monday but I am worried some might not be happy about that.

We had this at our place and a staff member spoke up to say she couldn’t risk working with a colleague who had 2 positives at home as her DH was vulnerable. It didn’t go down well but I understood her feelings. In the end there was a compromise of working masked and separated. I do think that household cases should mean isolation especially when it’s involves young children that are in close contact with their parents. In my DH’s company, he has told them to stay home until isolation over for positive case as it’s not worth the risk as small firm could close if they all get it.

OP perhaps the ‘older’ ones feel more at risk, naturally.

I would want to know about the positive case in your household, so I could minimise contact with you. I would expect you to apply common sense and wear a mask if you are working closely with anyone, sanitise your hands and work station etc, but I wouldn’t outright refuse to work with you.
If you are following your company guidelines then you have every right to be there.

older ones who are frightened of everything

Hmm. Do you mean the older ones who are rightly more concerned because the risk of covid to older people is higher? The ones who may be caring for elderly parents or have vulnerable family members as you say in your OP?

It's a stupid rule. You can't really do anything, however don't dismiss the valid concerns of those who see that it is genuinely increasing their risk.

Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that… it was clumsy of me. It wasn’t criticism of them as much as how the new rules leave workers like me feeling like a biohazard, despite donning PPE and testing every day. If it weren’t for secondary age kids doing twice weekly LFTs we wouldn’t even know it was in the house.

Just don't tell anyone that your child has tested positive. If it doesn't affect you working, why the need to tell them

We have 2 unvaccinated staff members who have complained on DEI grounds so we aren't allowed to mention COVID, vaccines etc on our weekly zoom chats.

Before the complaint no one had any idea they were unvaccinated and no one particularly cared either.

This hasn't been specified in my office but we can fully work from home if necessary and have been instructed there is no need to attend the office if you have what would be considered a minor illness (even on a scheduled office day). I suspect this would be viewed the same way.

I guess the balance of risk from the government is on a population level - not individual risk. They want to keep enough people out of hospital and the economy going while my colleagues want to protect individuals they deeply care about. The rules don’t care about the individual, the employer cares about making money within the law, and we are all stuck in the middle.

If you don’t tell your colleagues about your household case, how would they ever find out? Can’t you just keep quiet? It seems a bit odd to have to divulge the medical status of one of your children.

Why does everyone need to know? Our work risk assessment says you should tell the manager who will then discuss in confidence with you any actions to reduce the risk to others depending upon your role.

@Notimetolive

I would want to know about the positive case in your household, so I could minimise contact with you. I would expect you to apply common sense and wear a mask if you are working closely with anyone, sanitise your hands and work station etc, but I wouldn’t outright refuse to work with you. If you are following your company guidelines then you have every right to be there.

I think it’s only right to warn others. They may be vulnerable or be caring for someone who is. I’d certainly not hide it for that reason.

The PCR test is only valid at that point and you could develop the virus after and be spreading it until symptoms appear. LFTs are accurate enough to depend on them.

It's tricky. One of my children had confirmed covid. The other had already had it earlier in the year - he isn't required to isolate and continued to go to school, had negative PCR and LFt. I asked out of school activities (tutor, bday party, sports clubs) if they were happy to have him attend - all said they'd prefer not. Now if I'd not said anything he could go but I feel better letting others make the decision while his siblings isolating. I understand most don't want a known risk.
I did however go into a school at the same time (negative lateral flows) and feel a bit guilty despite the fact I've technically done nothing wrong 🤷‍♀️

The government has changed its guidelines but the risk is still there. It’s only right to let others know and avoid contact.

Someone announced to me that their child is at home with covid. I was not impressed as I am on the shielding list and the “risk assessment” states they will take extra precautions for this scenario. Obviously not. Had I been expected to sit next to said person I’d not have gone in.

I understand why they're concerned but they have no right to know the medical history of anyone.

In a school we have no idea who has or hasnt got Covid positive family members ar home unless we hear them chatting.

I have a formerly shielding dh who is still extremely vulnerable but every class I taught last week had between 2-6 positive cases with the rest of the class still in school, and numerous children telling me their sibling had Covid (whilst coughing all over me/their classmates themselves "but I haven't got it, Miss " )

I’d second that it’s still the right thing to do to let them know.

I’m 29 weeks pregnant - I’d want to know, as would DH. One of his parents is also somewhat unwell; and we’d distance from them and get other people to visit/support them if a colleague tested positive. I’d also let my midwife know so they could take extra precautions, and be careful around other pregnant people, and keep a closer eye on myself…

Like a PP has said, the government has made the calls on a population risk level… the people have to make it on an individual risk level. It’s not possible to do that if you don’t have the information at hand.

We've agreed at work that we stay at home if we have a positive case in the household. We have vulnerable people around. It meant I did 3 days wfh last week waiting for a pcr result.

I think they should be told tbh, they could visit care homes, mix with the vulnerable etc. Dd tested positive last Sunday, dhs work placed made him wfh and tbh it was a good decision as he was postive 3 days later

I'd be interested to know what percentage of people don't catch it when they have a positive household case. That would give me more of an idea of risk. I was told I'm CEV (although not convinced) and fortunate to wfh now. I would choose not to meet up with someone who had a positive case in their household. My friend tested positive in September and it took a further 5 days for her husband and child to test positive too. She was pretty poorly and so it seemed fairly inevitable.