Third Trimester Key Workers?

[ImmyMc]

How are all the key workers coping in the third trimester? I keep reading all these posts about people isolating to prevent Covid, but teaching, nursing, shop workers etc., we can't always do that. I'm a teacher and I'm around crowds all day, and none of them are even wearing masks. I also can't afford to take maternity leave early as my husband has a chronic illness and doesn't work. We are really going to struggle as it is on the reduced maternity pay that I will get, and I want time with the baby before having to go back to work after just a few weeks.

I just feel like this whole thing is a total nightmare and pregnant women have been left behind. I'm vaxxed, but it was seven months ago now and I keep wondering whether it will even really work now. You read all these things in the news about waning immunity after 3 months...

The guidance is still clear:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-pregnant-employees/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-pregnant-employees

A more precautionary approach in third trimester. I'm nhs. All front line nhs staff in my Trust are being moved to covid secure offices / home working or being signed off on medical leave. I'm front line nhs and 20 weeks pregnant. I am already home working (providing admin support for my team as we are down an administrator) because I have asthma / Hyperemesis / I'm over 35 and BMI over 30. Had a detailed risk assessment, occupational health assessment and am supported by my obstetrician.

I am 35 weeks pregnant and I am a nurse, I have been signed off work on special leave since 28 weeks. we have to work from home in 3rd trimester but it is impossible for me to do any of my job from home so instead was suspended on special leave (full pay until my maternity leave starts at 37 weeks). I also know of teachers who have done the same. Double check the government guidelines for pregnancy and covid as this was the case 7 weeks ago when I was at 28 weeks.

I'm an NHS nurse and will be working from home from 28 weeks. Will be starting my maternity leave from due week after taking a few weeks annual beforehand. So no different to having my first pre covid. I'm 23 weeks currently.

I asked my consultant about this a few days ago.
She said not to worry as long as you are vaccinated.
The vaccine does become slightly less effective overtime but that is mainly for getting covid, it's still (they think) very effective at preventing serious illness.
Also the reduction doesn't just drop rapidly so if it prevents say 85% of covid infections initially, after 6 months it might prevent 80% still for example.

What she was saying is that you are still well protected!

Your workplace still has a duty to keep you safe, if you can't socially distance at work then they should put mitigations in place.
I have no additional risk factors apart from being pregnant so am choosing to work from home from 34 weeks as a compromise (will go on annual leave from 37weeks and mat leave from 39 weeks).
Please contact your trade union if your workplace is not prioritising your safety for 3rd trimester.

I am 24 weeks tomorrow and work in education, I have a meeting tomorrow with my union rep RE working after 28 weeks.
He has already told me that the “head is aware of the requirement to WFH after 28 weeks”, so I just need to find out what the actual details are regarding this.
I’m not sure how the updates to CEV/shielding that came out over the weekend might affect this though, I will get back to you tomorrow once I have spoken to them.

Can someone please provide a link that says that past 28 weeks, pregnant women should be WFH? I’m in education too (vaxxed with no underlying health conditions) and worried my head won’t accept this unless it comes from a proper govt source (he will say unions are just guidance). On the link posted earlier to the govt website it says that women should be able to adhere to national social distancing guidelines post 28 weeks otherwise they WFH but there aren’t any laws around this anymore. Thanks so much in advance!

@Milly238 that’s what I’m going to be asking about tomorrow, it’s not 100% clear.

Hi all
Can anyone offer advice or signpost me.
I’m currently 21+3, I work in the NHS in a patient facing role. Work in the hospital and go out into the community each week. As yet I still haven’t had a risk assessment completed in work. My pregnancy is classed as high risk anyway (previous pre eclampsia, I now have high BP and bilateral leg swelling and I had post recovery complications last time).
Social distancing is impossible in work especially when working with the little ones and most of the time we have to ‘hot desk’ wherever we can. Im just wondering where I stand in terms of no risk assessment in place and being put in a position where I feel my safety is compromised.
I’ve also been told that after 28 weeks il still be expected to come into work but carry out ‘virtual appointments’ and admin. I did contact my HR department but they couldn’t help me.
So at a bit of a loss now.
TIA

@Sarahloo88 are you a member of a union?
If not, it might be worth signing up and getting advice from them.
My union rep is a fountain of knowledge and has been very helpful over the years sorting all kinds out for me!
I’m not sure whether the advice they gave me last week has changed, but I’ll be asking them tomorrow if they know of anything being updated.

Just reread @Sarahloo88 the virtual appointments after 28 weeks could be considered a reasonable adjustment compared to a patient facing role.
If I am told I am unable to WFH, I have a range of suggestions of reasonable adjustments that I will be requesting so keep myself safe.

@ImStayingInside yes I’m a member.
I have contacted them but I’m waiting for them to get back me hopefully I’ll hear something tomorrow or this week at least

@Sarahloo88 fingers crossed they’re helpful for you!

@ImStayingInside ahh fab! Please give us an update if you can after. Hopefully you get clarity!

@Sarahloo88 so I’m super unclear on whether we can definitely WFH from 28 weeks onwards but you should 100% have a risk assessment in place! I have a regular one (no lifting etc) plus a Covid one my head went through with me last week and it’s going to be reviewed on a monthly basis due to the changing situation. Are you part of a trade union? I personally would get in touch with them ASAP or with your own GP and advise your work that you need a risk assessment put in place otherwise you cannot continue to work there in person.

@ImStayingInside
If I had to go in and carry out virtual appointments I think I’d be ok with that as long as I had somewhere that was distanced enough from the ‘patient areas’ to work.
I think I’m more worried with the way things are for me right now. Working in clinics all day with no social distancing and nothing to safeguard me in place. Then out and about in the community where things are out of my control

@Milly238 Thank you, hopefully my union rep gets back to me soon. I’ve had nothing at all and I made them aware of my pregnancy back in June. Covid aside I feel like they’re are just getting their money’s worth out of me before I go on maternity leave!

@Milly238 it's in my post

@milly238
Exactly what I was thinking, it says if the workplace can adhere to national guidelines on social distancing then you must work from home but there aren’t any guidelines of social distancing anymore?
I’m a teacher and pregnant, and have had children in my class test positive in the first two weeks back. Double vaccinated, but it’s definitely on my mind.

@Jeffers5 as far as I was aware, the guidelines for social distancing in the workplace were scrapped in July and I’ve heard of lots of people this side of the summer being able to WFH after 28 weeks, but I suppose that means it’s up for interpretation by different work places.
Or I could be wrong 😂🙃

@ImStayingInside one of my colleagues is also pregnant and about 4 weeks ahead of me, so I’m hoping the conversation happens before I need to have it.

@Sarahloo88

Have you requested a risk assessment from your manager? That would be the first step.

I would also contact occupational health and ask what the current guidance is around risks in the third trimester as this should be laid out by them.

I'm 24 weeks and work as a leasing negotiator. As part of that we have to enter houses for property visits every three months. I have over 80 properties which means visiting about 20+ a month
Workplace hasn't doesn't a risk assessment yet. I'm a little worried since I have to enter people's houses and I have no idea how they live/act and can only make sure I keep myself safe.
I also have to work in reception to be an extra person there, despite having my own office upstairs which I haven't been back in since back to work after wfh. I have asked, but been told I'm needed downstairs :/
I've had the first vaccine but won't get my second until 32 weeks

Not really sure how to approach it with work. Don't want to be seen to be causing issues but the guidance doesn't seem clear as much as I can see

@Whatshouldicallme yes I told them about the pregnancy back in June and assumed that would automatically mean they would arrange one with me. Then when I didn’t hear anything I wrote to my manager in August requesting one and I’ve still heard nothing. Wrote again two weeks ago.
I have contacted my occupational health department ( 2 weeks ago Friday) and I’m still awaiting a response. I have read our NHS policy and it’s quite clear to work from home where possible. Hopefully I hear something I just know they’re completely overwhelmed with everything going on at the moment.

@willithappen I know what you mean. I don’t want to be seen as a trouble maker or causing a fuss but I’ve never had these problems in previous pregnancies my managers have always been organised and proactive and I’ve felt supported in work.
This time around I just feel at a loss with it all!!

@Sarahloo88, this is exactly the same with me. I'm not UK-based anymore, and where I am it is the law that I am given an externally assessed risk evaluation every 30 days. I sent the document and requested it before school started, again twice during the first week back, then once the following week. I was then sent the school's generic Covid-19 plan, which is not a risk assessment. When I raised this, I was told that they would make up a protection plan for me (again, not what I am entitled to, i.e. it is not done by an occupational health doctor like it should be). They weren't even going to involve me in that. It never happened anyway, so last week I went into the office of a member of the Senior Leadership Team and basically raised all the risks myself and told them what I wanted to do instead. They agreed to it, but now I am thinking I should still be getting the external risk assessment, since at no point was WFH suggested.

@Sarahloo88

That is really rubbish. I think unfortunately you might need to escalate it if your line manager is being so nonresponsive. Even aside from COVID, you should have had a general risk assessment. COVID-wise I wouldn't expect much protection until you are at least 28 week (they will probably just say they'll provide you PPE), but most trusts are still recommending non-patient facing roles for pregnant women after 28 weeks.