Lots of illness going around at work

[Avoidingthebug]

I have worked in my NHS admin role for 1 year and the amount of illness I have caught has been unreal including multiple sickness bugs that have gone around. We work in a small clinic, my role is non patient facing but my other colleagues provide patient care, but all wear masks for any procedure. I worked in a hospital ward for 7 years and caught the odd cold, covid once from family, and one sickness bug from niece… so the hospital setting where I was facing patients all day protected me more in a way. Trying to understand, I wipe down my desk, phone and computer every morning. My hand hygiene is good, I know it’s my colleagues passing it between us as they tell us why they are off… surely someone must be coming in before being rid of symptoms and spreading unnecessarily… how can so many sickness bugs go around per year? I have caught 3 myself in the past year from work, that have knowingly been going around the team, and the other colds and stuff. Could it be coming via the aircon/heating circulation or lack of windows in a small space? I don’t have kids but 80% of my colleagues have young kids in nursery/school. What can I do to minimise the bugs?

There are petitions about implementing hepa filtered air in medical settings. Several reviews have this as a, not yet implemented, recommendation.

Yes...so many viruses are airborne transmission...plus covid is proven to reduce general immunity for a 20 month period after infection.

It’s quite alarming. Admittedly working and traveling in London but I’ve watched colleagues come down with multiple flu-like episodes. There was one bug went round three of us- we work together- and it was six weeks before we were ok. Probably only ‘right’ the last week or so. And today one of the three was obviously ill again- flushed, shiny eyed and red nosed.
2 adult dc have colds and fevers. On a plane yesterday a passenger had a fit, he was out for several minutes and when they took his details afterwards he said he’d been ill with a cold for a few weeks. And two days before another ‘recovering from a cold’ passenger had a fit.
I’ve scared myself now!

That’s the thing that worries me, I work in a tiny office where no patients come, my communication is by phone or email only. The only time I could catch anything is via a colleague or a door handle that is infected. It really annoys me because I am terrified of vomiting bugs… just waiting for the next one to come. I am going to really step up the hygiene around myself at work, and will also start looking at vitamins and probiotics.

Oh and another point is I used to travel to London on busses and 2 tubes every day while I worked in the hospital. This job enables me to drive and park… so even less chance of catching something (you would think).

It would help if people opened the damn windows in these settings! We need fresh air (in the absence of Hepa filters) but people act as if they’ve been shot! It’s not that cold.

In your situation I’d buy a portable hepa filter immediately. They’re not overly expensive now. I’m buying one for my new car (as I do schools runs) and recently got rid of Tesla (which has as standard). I genuinely believe that the hepa Tesla filter has saved me multiple times from picking up germs from teens on commute…won’t help sick bugs of course but might help other things for you.

i agree things are worse I think than I ever remember and my kids are teens now which seems odd because usually it’s when they’re small you get more.

It is in the air system. It’s circulating infected air.

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When you say wipe down , what are you wiping with? You need to use Clinell wipes (green packet) - it kills norovirus . You can buy on Amazon but presumably there are some knocking around if you’re in a clinic? I have emetophobia and love them so much , can you tell?!

Yes we use green clinell at work