Shielders and anti vaxxers

[Whathefisgoingon]

Myself and another were on the shielding list and forced back to the office back in April.

Until recently we were sat fairly distanced from everyone however there has now been an office move and we have been sat one row away from a known anti vaxxer who doesn’t necessarily believe covid is a “thing” either.

Today he is in, coughing his lungs up, sounding rotten. Ventilation in the office is terrible, with windows unable to open the full way and aircon usually on.

Last month there was a whole debacle with certain staff being reprimanded for approaching sick colleagues directly re their covid status etc. It is for “management” to decide if they sound sick enough to warrant a covid test. Fair enough, whilst I agree that staff should not be approaching other employees directly, I also know management don’t want staff off work and also feel uncomfortable broaching the subject with certain people.

So, where do I stand? Do I, as a CEV person, have to go in and sit in a poorly ventilated office with a kid who likely has covid but refuses to acknowledge it?

Shielding has been ended

So yes unfortunately your pessimistic last paragraph is the legal reality.

But it might not be the whole picture. I suggest you contact the charity for your condition who might be able to advise with how to broach request for reasonable adjustments based on your health needs

whether he has or hasn't had the vaccine is irrelevant if you are in a workplace where its non-mandatory as thats his personal choice, but the requirement to get a PCR when you have a COVID symptom(or isolate if you don't want to take a PCR) remains in place (and he may have done so and had a negative???)...its really whether you feel able to voice your concerns and who in your workplace you need to approach if you have concerns about your own health? do you have an HR person you can approach in confidence if you don't feel able to ask management?

Colleagues know from workplace chat that he has likely not had a PCR, but he is telling his superior that he has. As they are not requesting proof, that is the end of the matter as far as they are concerned.

Can you speak to a manager about his coughing or to HR? You could suggest he should be asked to get a Covid test, and in the meantime request to move desks?

@Whathefisgoingon

Colleagues know from workplace chat that he has likely not had a PCR, but he is telling his superior that he has. As they are not requesting proof, that is the end of the matter as far as they are concerned.

Oh well in that case, not much you can do. Maybe he has had a PCR or they have asked for proof? Most places do..

You could raise with HR / management about the importance of asking for proof, and you could ask to work someplace else, but otherwise not sure what your options are..

OP - I'd suggest you look at the Indie sage video from the friday before last. There was a woman on who was an expert in H&S at work legislation and she was clear that your employer has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to keep employees safe at work particularly those with a disability / underlying condition.. The legislation is there, it's just not used / enforced.

Hope that's helpful - google 'Indie sage youtube' and you'll find videos of all their friday meetings. It's not last week's (about long covid in kids - heartbreaking) but the week before.

And also she said there is a legal requirement for minimum ventilation levels - which again not usually enforced but exists. You can buy CO2 monitors relatively cheaply I think so you could actually monitor if they're ventilating adequately.

I don't understand why any employer wouldn't help either OP - even if it's not covid, why would they want half their staff off with whatever he has? Why not just ask everyone to wear a mask?

Do I, as a CEV person, have to go in and sit in a poorly ventilated office with a kid who likely has covid but refuses to acknowledge it

Is this person a child?

Given that anyone in the office, vaccinated or not, could have covid at any time with or without symptoms, I'm not sure why you're focusing on this particular person? Is it because his views annoy you?

@TheDailyCarbunkle I never understand this viewpoint.

If someone is asymptomatic then there is obviously nothing I can do about it. But why would I KNOWINGLY have contact with someone displaying coronavirus symptoms?

To everyone else, can I request proof?

Proof that he's had a pcr? No I don't think you can ask for someone's private medical

@MichelleScarn Not theirs specifically for my own eyes, but ask that the company has requested proof.

[quote Whathefisgoingon]@TheDailyCarbunkle I never understand this viewpoint.

If someone is asymptomatic then there is obviously nothing I can do about it. But why would I KNOWINGLY have contact with someone displaying coronavirus symptoms?

To everyone else, can I request proof?[/quote]
Because knowingly having contact with someone displaying coronavirus symptoms is qualitatively exactly the same thing as unknowingly having contact with someone who has covid but isn't showing symptoms. So in logical terms your objection makes no sense. If you're concerned about catching covid (and not just annoyed at this one person) then the risk he represents is just a small part of the risk represented by everyone in the office combined.

@TheDailyCarbunkle That’s a really bizarre way of viewing it.

Firstly, we don’t even know how much of a concern “asymptomatic” transmission is yet.

More to the point, many others I work with are vaccinated and perform regular lateral flows. Unlike this individual who thinks it’s all a conspiracy and is actually displaying symptoms.

Are you in a union OP? I think this is outrageous; management are putting your health and well-being at risk and letting the anti-vaxxer get away with it. Question is what rights do you have and how to implement them.
Surely you have a right not to be put at risk by someone who - because of their beliefs - is not even trying to comply?

@heldinadream Unfortunately, I’m not. It’s a fear based workforce so nobody is brave enough to join. The CEO would make life insufferable in subtle ways which would affect our income.

OP, I feel your pain and worry.

However, you say that the coworker's kid 'likely has covid' - really? How 'likely'? Have you seen results? A cough does not a covid case make - the place I work, hundreds of people in tight spaces, everyone's coughing, has colds, etc.......as we're all suffering from the immune system effects of lockdown.

Today was awful. Lots of back and forth about my seat, I managed to move away for today but have been told I am to move back tomorrow despite several staff members in that area now having to stop mid conversation to have coughing fits, as well as telling staff they’d been ill in bed all weekend. I also established they do not request staff do PCR’s or request proof of a negative result if someone is symptomatic and claims to have had one.

Scandalous.

So sorry op sounds so rubbish.
I'm surprised at how many are anti vaccine and covid deniers.

Theres lots coughs and colds going round not all covid not that reassuring I guess.