Covid positive, 33 weeks pregnant nurse, shall I feel pressured to go back to work?

[Kardelen]

Hi!

so last week Monday I tested positive for covid. I caught it from work, as there are a few others at work who has tested positive. When I messaged my manager last week, she hasn’t replied as yet.

i have a toddler so haven’t really been able to rest as well. Still got cough, throat feels a bit funny, feeling weak but testing negative. toddler has also got it now, and so has family members at home.

im due to go back to work tomorrow and Friday but I just feel so knackered and have been feeling nauseous and have vomited a few times . ( not sure if this is to do with covid, or the stress of everything on my body).

but I also feel bad for colleagues as don’t want to leave them short staffed. I’m also scared to contact my manager as she always complains about people being sick, and how people need to look after their health etc… and maybe this is why she didn’t reply to me?

If you’re not well, stay off. The NHS is dire at moment, and we have to look after our own health, or burn out. Aim to go back Monday or Tuesday if you’re well enough

That’s true no one really cared when I got covid and not even my line manager as she never replied! But I’m still nervous to message her

If your manager is snippy with you, firmly tell her you are too ill to work. I know it's difficult to do, but it will put her in her place. She sounds like a bully.

Is it possible your manager hasn't replied as she too is off sick? I wouldn't expect anyone to be all that worried about a staff member having COVID these days, but would always expect a polite "sorry to hear that, get well soon" type email from a manager of you're off sick.

Go back to work when you're better. The date you're "due" back is just the NHS having rules and when you're no longer contagious with covid, but if you're still unwell from it (or possibly you picked up another bug) then tell your manager you're still ill. Maybe copy someone else in too if it's possible your manager is sick

The issue is she didn’t even acknowledge my message. I just saw my name on the online rota and it said cold cough.

i mean at least she could’ve said get well soon right?

shall I just message her again and say I still don’t feel ready to come back to work? Don’t know what to message

If you are vomiting and still feeling unwell then you are not well enough to go back to work. Have you tried telephoning your manager?

You need to call. And say you’re not well.
Please don’t go to work ill, mine have been falling like flies and taking half the team down with them, because they felt guilty.

Your self certify period ends after 7 days? Just get signed off for another week. You'll just end up more ill or unable to work properly. Don't sweat it, people get ill.

Oh no I’m definitely sure That she’s not off sick. She even messaged my colleague who also has covid telling her to come back (before 5 day isolation ends) if she feels well. And then later again contacted her to swap her shift for this week so she has a day more to rest.

off course don’t really expect much, but at least could’ve messaged so that I know she received my message, and a small message saying get well soon like you said.

not sure what to message her, sounds silly but feel really nervous thinking about it!

That’s the other issue as well, don’t want to spread anything. But I feel pressured and guilty. Not sure what to say to the manager either

I’ll try getting a note from t he GP but it says on the online consultation they don’t give sick notes for covid.
even if I don’t get paid it won’t be a big issue as long as I get to rest, but it’s just my manager I’m worried about. She’s probably going to think I’m lying, or I don’t take care of my health as I hear her talking about others in this way

You can self certify for 7 days, if still unwell after that time then GP needs to provide sick note. You can get a sick note for Covid if after 7 days.

What you think your manager thinks really doesn't matter.

Just follow whatever it says to do in your contact if you're ill (ie call or email, whether is required) then forget about work and focus on rest and getting better.

I will give it a try thank you

Just put the laundry in the wash and got out of breath and dizzy. Had to stop a few times. And now strange feeling of palpitations.
so your right don’t think It’s a good idea to go in.

i did get covid before but wasn’t as bad or maybe I don’t remember. Maybe because I’m pregnant it’s worser this time round

Should I message her explaining the way I feel, or just say I’m still feeling unwell to return to work?

You need to get a sick certificate. You can't just not go to work. The GP doesn't have to certify Covid, they can certify your fatigue, your sickness, anything. But you have to provide a certificate if you are not attending work after the 7 days.

Say you are feeling too unwell to come
Back to work because you are vomiting and exhausted or got a temperature (or whatever)

I had 4 or 5 weeks off after I 'recovered' from covid. The GP wrote 'post covid symptoms' on the sick note . I had sinusitis and fatigue.

It's a bit of a non issue really because if you're truly incapable of going to work, then you can't, can you?

Yes you need to give brief details of what is wrong with you. Your line manager will have to record the illness under a number of categories and needs to know which box to tick. There may also be specific rules around work-related illness, infectious diseases and pregnancy related sickness so you do need to tell her what is wrong with you.

Thank you so much everyone, I really do appreciate.

i will try and get the note from the GP.

Hey, midwife in nhs here. I highly recommend you call your GP and get signed off for another week. It is totally pointless you going back unwell particularly when you’re pregnant. I totally get the not wanting to let colleagues down and knowing how busy it is, but you have to think about your own health

Thank you for your message. It’s just Im getting anxious thinking managers going to be thinking bad of me.

You need to get in touch with the GP to get a fit note and phone your ward and talk to your band 7. There are a lot of options, you should be passed your qualifying weeks now so shouldn't affect your matty pay but I would want to make sure of that. A couple of my colleagues who had a tough time with covid have done phased return.

We are constantly told how we are letting people down if we call in. I remember having to sign a RTW after i got mastitis when they had assigned me nightshift Monday and day shift wed as an expressing mum and my body couldn't adapt to the change quickly enough. But in all honesty you are accountable for the patients you are assigned (most likely increased ratio) and if your head is not in the game you will miss things and potentially put them at risk. Plus your colleagues will not let you do they heavy work if you look terrible. Best to rest and look after yourself and they can get in bank or agency. If they didn't staff us at the absolute minimum then it wouldn't be an issue. We can't look after others if we aren't fit. Put yourself and your baby before your boss who didn't even message you back.