To go to work with a positive test

[Pleaseletmesleepin]

I am a teacher in a secondary school and the Head is very strict about attendance and the work piles up very quickly if you miss any time at all . Today I woke up with a sore throat and a cough . Did a test and it is positive. Technically I feel well enough to work and I am scared to phone in sick but it feels wrong to be so close to all of the pupils . Please help me with the right thing to do .

Dont go

You must have had guidance issued from your headteacher?

The school I work at is following the government/DfE guidelines of isolate on a positive test and start taking LFTs from Day 5 and when you have 2 negatives 2 days in a row you can go back.

Obviously don’t go in! It’s against government guidance and you have potential to infect many people

How is this even a question ?

I would be very annoyed if my kids came home with Covid. It would have prevented me seeing my dad in the last few months of his life if there was a chance that we were positive. I am sure there is a fair to middling chance that one of the kids in your class has a frail grandparent.

What school is open on Sundays

You can't do this when you work in that role. (If it was another job, it would depend, in my opinion.)

Hasn't your school issued any guidance to you? I work in a primary school and they have made it clear that we should follow the guidance and stay off if test positive.

I’d message your boss, tell them about your positive test and ask what they’d like you to do.

I wouldn't go in, the guidance is still that you should self-isolate if you test positive rather than must. Could you do some of the work that piles up from home?

She hasn’t issued any guidance. I am genuinely scared of the backlash of not going in .

Of course you're being unreasonable! Covid is a perfectly valid reason to call in sick. If the Head is an arse about it, say their attendance will be even worse if everyone catches covid from you.

It does feel weird ringing in sick when you feel fine though. I had no real symptoms apart from a dry throat when I had covid.

I agree with PP, ask the Head what you should do.

(I assume they'll say stay home and test after 5 days).

I have a teacher friend who’s positive but feels fine, she’s WFH until she has 2 days consecutive negative, I would have thought that was standard 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’m a teacher too. Had a positive test last Monday (was kind of expecting it as ds was positive). Thought I’d be able to work from home on all the piled up non-class stuff. I’m out of bed for the first time today. It’s not asymptomatic for everyone.
Stay off.

I'd be expected to go in unless I'm sick . Like any sickness I'd stay off if so unwell I cant work but go in if I'm well enough
I'd go in

Up to your boss, same as any job? If they will pay you to stay home then stay home, if not then go in.

Of course you can’t go in.

I don’t believe that your head will ask you to.

I work in a school and a colleague I work closely with tested positive and has decided to come in.
My dc is in her GCSE year and is currently doing their mocks. They are incredibly anxious of catching Covid again and has asked me to stay away from my colleague.
I am doing my best to but it is a struggle.

I think it is incredibly selfish of them to come in, even though technically the government rules allow.

@BloodyN0rah thank you . I will do this and then I have her response in writing . @ssd I mean tomorrow after I tested today.

The right thing to do is obviously to follow the guidelines set down by DHE. So self isolate until you test negative or for 10 days.
It’s difficult if your boss is funny about you being off but this isn’t really your problem. Imagine if there’s an outbreak or a death and it’s due to you not SI.
I would email with a picture of your positive LFT and even link to gov.U.K. Saying you are following these guidelines. Any pressure and ask if they have been replaced by new guidelines that don’t advise SI.
I have just had Covid and have SI as I work in healthcare. I wouldn’t want to unknowingly infect a 95 year old!

Pretty sure you’re not allowed to go in.

It’s like noravirus; you have to wait 48 hours. Chickenpox; you wait until the last pussy spot has popped and you’re jot infectious.

Don’t go and infect your colleagues and children, they may be living with vulnerable people.

Ffs..this is going to become normal isn’t it? Selfish.

I would be tempted to say to her you’re positive and ask her to meet in her office first thing to discuss the situation.

I wonder if she’ll agree to be stuck in a room with you..

@BloodyN0rah

I’d message your boss, tell them about your positive test and ask what they’d like you to do.

This.

I asked the question of my manager. Every place has different rules. Just ask her what she would like you to do. You can't get backlash for that.

What country are you in and what are the rules there?

I’m not in the UK but didn’t think schools there open on a Sunday, especially not with a start time of after 11am.