Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Work say 'don't come in if you have flulike symptoms'

53 replies

TrillianAstra · 17/05/2009 15:51

DP's work have guidelines in place saying you shouldn't come in if you have "flu-like symptoms".

He has a cold. It's not even manflu, let along actual influenza. Unless he feels significantly worse tomorrow he's going to go in.

Does anyone want to place bets on whether he will be sent home tomorrow after the first sneeze?

OP posts:
HeadFairy · 17/05/2009 15:53

I'd take that guideline as a green light for a duvet day at the slightest hint of a sniffle

flamingobingo · 17/05/2009 15:53

What is his work?

InternationalFlight · 17/05/2009 15:54

How many cases are there now? Anyone know?

Habbibu · 17/05/2009 15:56

8480 in 39 countries.

Original poster
TrillianAstra · 17/05/2009 16:01

He's a biochemist. Nothing that would result in the end of the world as we know it if it were left for a day. But he is on a 6-month contract so wants to make a good impression while he's there in order to either get a good reference or get an extension to his contract.

OP posts:
OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/05/2009 16:03

cdc estimate that there may be as much as 45000 cases in US alone. They are only testing severe cases there. I think they've pretty much given up trying to contain it.

InternationalFlight · 17/05/2009 16:04

Blimey. I didn't realise there were so many. How many over here? actually I'd rather not know...

Habbibu · 17/05/2009 16:05

I think the guidelines in general are to not come in if you have symptoms and suspect you may have been exposed - e.g. if you started to feel ill a couple of days after seeing a friend who'd returned from Mexico, say.

It's sensible to keep an eye on symptoms - I'd go in, undertaking careful hygiene precautions, but if it began to develop into proper flu like symptoms (aching, serious more-than-a-cold fatigue, fever, etc) I'd go home. Mostly because I wouldn't feel well enough to work.

PuppyMonkey · 17/05/2009 16:05

I just heard on news that there are 101 cases of swine flu in Britain now. Mostly in London, the east and the south east.

My colleague came into work all of last week coughing and sneezing away. She sits right next to me to. And I was a bit... tbh.

Habbibu · 17/05/2009 16:05

82 confirmed cases in UK.

pavlovthesmugcat · 17/05/2009 16:07

If they said that in my workplace, the majority of people would be off tomorrow. Just like when it starts snowing and suddenly the majority of colleagues live in the middle of Dartmoor

PuppyMonkey · 17/05/2009 16:08

Habbibu - Think there are more now - here

OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/05/2009 16:10

habbibu - you are behind the times

Interesting discussion on cases in the States:

here says that they are seeing around 100,000 cases of flu atm, half are the novel h1n1 and the rest is seasonal flu. Be interesting to see what happens as we go into summer.

Original poster
TrillianAstra · 17/05/2009 16:11

Just to be clear - he has a cold. That's all.

I have no suspicions that it is anything serious. We haven't been in contact with anyone who has been abroad recently, or who has been ill (which does make you wonder where the cold came from).

at pavlov's colleagues all suddenly living in teh middle of Dartmoor. It's funny to talk about but actually I get really annoyed at peple who use any excuse to skive off.

OP posts:
Habbibu · 17/05/2009 16:13

I'm just going by the WHO website - I think there's some delay in how countries report and WHO confirms.

The thing about a pandemic of even mild flu is not necessarily so much that people might get very ill and/or die, but that lots and lots of people might be unable to work either because they are ill, or because they are looking after someone who is, and this can cause major disruption - esp if schools and nurseries close, and so even more people can't go into work.

I'm working on our flu plan at the moment, and it's things like keeping the HR payments network running that are critical!

Habbibu · 17/05/2009 16:15

Pah. No longer a la mode in flu fashion, eh, kitten?

OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/05/2009 16:18

lol, never fear Habbibu. I'm glad to see you have good respitory manners

mumblecrumble · 17/05/2009 16:18

I feel like GHIte. SHould I be off tomorrow?

OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/05/2009 16:20

puppymonkey - helping in school I'm constantly being sneezed and coughed on. I'm starting to get a bit as these are year 4 kids who should know better.

Original poster
TrillianAstra · 17/05/2009 16:21

What sort of GHIte do you feel like mumble?

OP posts:
OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/05/2009 16:22

mumble - if its something that would make you seethe if someone knowingly gave it to you, then yes you should stay at home!

Habbibu · 17/05/2009 16:24

I think that's a reasonable principle with any virus that makes you feel quite unwell, tbh. One person off for one day is better than 7 people off who you might have infected, and my productivity is always terrible when I'm full of cold too.

Original poster
TrillianAstra · 17/05/2009 16:27

I think if you stay off for a day or two and recover your productivity is better than if you drag yourself in for a whole week and get bugger all done because you feel like shit.

OP posts:
mumblecrumble · 17/05/2009 19:41

Aye, just been to doctor. Had to say 'AH' and everything..... ;)

He saidit was a nasty throat and mouth virus and I should expect to feel GHITE for 2 or 3 weeks!!!?!?!?!? WHAT????

So..... off work for this week..... Am teacher and all mys tudetns have A levels next week and after so feel morally obliged to obey him.

I wish I could breathe.....

mumblecrumble · 17/05/2009 19:43

Just rememebered one of students is off with a virus.

Swipe left for the next trending thread