Work once you hit 28+ weeks pregnant with Covid restrictions. Paid leave or continue work?

[Nannon145]

Hey, just looking for some advice on what is happening with other people.
I am a dental nurse so currently they have taken me out of surgery from the moment I told them I was pregnant which is really good of them.
They have them said when I hit 28 weeks pregnant, that I will be taken away from all patient facing roles, so that includes reception and in house consultations.
My question is - I will be in the phone room with work colleagues who I won’t be able to be 2 metres away from, my other job I’ll be doing is decontaminating instruments as that can be done on my own.
In the phone room, someone will be sat right next to me, we will both be wearing a mask but they could have been in surgery in the morning and then sat next to me in the afternoon with the same scrubs on.

What is everyone else’s work doing? Is this ok for me to continue to work like this?
I’m just worried about working up until 38 weeks with the risk of someone passing to Covid to me at work as I am in a very high risk job and although I won’t be in a patient facing role, the colleagues who will be working within 2 metres of me will be x

Hey

So I work in childcare so I asked my midwife what the deal is basically she said at 28 weeks if your employer cannot find you work where you are not working directly with other people or work from home then you have to leave at 28 weeks full pay. It may be different with different employers ect but that's what mine is doing xx

@Mylasmummy2102 thank you. I’m gonna ring my midwife on Tuesday for more advice too. I have spoken to my work saying that the guidelines state that and he has just shrugged me off to be honest and was a bit abrupt so made me feel awkward. I think he’s annoyed because he sees himself as doing so much already but if it still doesn’t fit the guidelines then that’s not my fault x

Well it's for your safety Covid doesn't effect baby but at 28 weeks women are more likely to catch infections and suffer from them more he has to go by government guidelines. Definitely speak to your midwife there is a good website that explains it all but I can't think what it is xx

@Mylasmummy2102 thank you, I’ll speak with her and see what she recommends xx

Hi, I'm also a dental nurse and I'm 32 weeks.
According to the BDA/GDC they claim that after 28 weeks we are in no higher a risk category than anyone else. Your employer should do a risk assessment for you but you no longer need to be separated in a non patient facing role.
Personally I am not doing AGPs but am doing reception and occasionally the odd day in surgery. I'm finishing in 3 weeks.

I’m also a dental nurse, currently 21 weeks and still in surgery. I’ll probably be doing so until I leave at 36 weeks, although not AGPs from 28 weeks. As PP said, we are no more at risk of catching it than anyone else and BDA guidelines state just to take extra care. Being at a dental practice it’s almost impossible not to be in a patient facing role but most practices won’t have the means to suspend you on full pay either. Doing reception/phone duties is perfectly safe as PPE is worn everywhere anyway so I wouldn’t worry.

@ALew15 @Nat4392 just so you are both aware, the guidelines did change late on in December stating that we should not be in a patient facing role from 28 weeks & we should be able to remain a safe distance from colleagues at all times. They changed back to this after the cases went up and we went into lockdown

This is the BDAs most recent update on 13/1/21, it doesn’t mention no contact at all. Where did you hear this OP?

I'm only just 9 weeks but my midwife has talked me through the advice for what happens when I hit 28 weeks because my job is purely public facing. She said I can still go into work as long as I'm not in a face to face rule with members of the public. So I can stay upstairs in the office when I get to that point. I definitely won't be finishing work at 28 weeks as I hope to work right up until my due date but may take a couple weeks worth of holiday before instead x

@Nat4392 if you read the government guidelines published on 11th January it contradicts what the BDA is saying and I have spoken to my GP and midwife and they say we should be following government guidelines. It’s all so confusing isn’t it.

I had a phone call with my midwife yesterday and she advised that all workplaces should be following the government guidelines which are to work from home, and if you can’t work from home and can’t keep a safe distance from other people, then you should be suspended on full pay.
However, workplaces do not have to follow this advice, it is up to them if they do or not so that is why some workplaces aren’t following it. She is hoping something is brought in imminently that forces workplaces to follow the advice because it involves the health of us and our babies

@Nannon145 interesting, I’ll speak with my midwife about it when I next see her. From experience I’d guess dentists will just blindly follow the BDA guidelines and ignore the actual government guidelines 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’m 18 weeks atm and on furlough. I am a before/after school nanny and have to take 2 primary age children to/from school in my car so no social distancing. I wonder is guidance will change by the time I hit 28 weeks or wether il have to go on leave.

@Nat4392 yep I think that’s what they’re doing!!!! I’ve requested a new risk assessment to be done at my work

I work in HR. You need to ask for a risk assessment for 3rd trimester specifically and challenge anything you don’t feel comfortable with. Social distancing from patients/colleagues/customers is a minimum.