Felt dreadful, tested positive

[FuckingHateRats]

I've been feeling under the weather for a couple of days. Felt fairly crap yesterday morning but dragged myself into school (am a teacher). By 2pm I was in bed, shivery, feverish and all my joints aching. Weirdly, my ankle I broke 12 years ago is really painful along the break point.

We were due to go see Jurassic World last night (normally I'd have just stayed home, but it was my birthday and the kids were really keen for me to come and do something nice) and I thought I should test before I went. Positive.

I hadn't expected to feel so poorly. I sort of thought it was just a cold/cough now.

Am I right in saying that when I feel well enough, I can be out and about and back in school with no need to isolate? I've read the guidance which seems to suggest that, but also mentions a five day period of avoiding others.

the guidance is to stay away from people for 5 days. If you feel awful, imagine how it would affect someone clinically vulnerable.

legally you don’t have to but it would be a bit shit to go spreading it about when you know you have it.

I will wait for the inevitable ‘we have to learn to live with it’ comments. Which is fine, if it’s not your loved one that’s at serious risk of death, despite 5 vaccines which haven’t resulted in any antibodies being produced. Immunosuppressed patients aren’t expected to have a full immune response so are screwed if people choose to knowingly go out with Covid.

I've been told feel well, work. Nothing about lateral flow's negative or anything.

What’s your school’s policy?

Would you go into work with chickenpox, measles or something equally infectious?

I would just stay home til you’ve recovered….. which might take a while.

don’t rush back to work,I did and regretted it.

There's no way I could go back to school like I am now anyway.

Have emailed our business manager to find out the policy.

I have no intention of going in and spreading it; I was more concerned that they would suggest coming in because there was no legal obligation to stay at home.

When you go back to work will depend on your employers policy. You will need to check with them.

They may require you to isolate for a certain amount of time, they may require a negative test until you can come back. Some may allow/ require you to work from home.

However, most employers seem to want you back if/ when you feel well enough.

Hope you feel better soon.

@SpringRainbow 'However, most employers seem to want you back if/ when you feel well enough.' Is this anecdata or is there a source? Thanks.

Hi OP I hope you are feeling better! I'm in your shoes now and just wondered what your school said? The guidance is not clear!

Hi @ToooOldForThis
I work in a school too and was expected to come in after 5 days but I'm too unwell and testing still strongly positive. I had to ask the GP to sign me off.

Thank you for replying! I will maybe need to ring them tomorrow

Yes. The GP was horrified that I was expected back in after 5 days with no negative test.

At my school its back after 5 days, 3 for children !

Same with mine. I just don't think I could face going back to work with how ill I'm feeling.