Covid & Restrictions

[bestwisheskindregards]

Hey,

I'm currently 17 weeks pregnant and I can't help but feel perhaps irrationally (?) anxious about the governments decisions to scrap Plan B restrictions.

I know I'm not super high risk at this stage and I am vaccinated and boosted and Omicron symptoms are less severe but I can't help but feel really anxious, despite trying to think rationally about it.

Since the government introduced Plan B restrictions, I've been able to work from home but my employer has now said they expect people to start working back in the office now. I understand why and I generally don't mind working in the office but I have to take public transport and it's always made me anxious that people don't need to wear masks. I still wear one but they don't really protect the wearer.

I'm not sure what I'm looking for. Maybe just reassurance that I'm not the only pregnant person who is a bit more nervous than pre-pregnancy. I feel like so many people on here are fine about the whole thing despite being pregnant - and I want to be too!

I have no advice at all unfortunately.
But you're not on your own- I'm 26 weeks and have been crying on and off since the announcements yesterday x

Hi.
Has your employer completed a risk assessment? They should as you are pregnant and hopefully allow you to have staggered start times when public transport is perhaps quieter?

You could get a mask that does protect the wearer? FFP2 can FFP3 can be up to 99% effective for the wearer, and can be safely reused.

Thanks everybody

@Teaandcrumpets95 it does help knowing I'm not the only one.

@Carebear99 Yes I've done a risk assessment but there was nothing about Covid. It was just standard working environment type questions.

@EileenGC That's a good idea, thank you. I'll look into getting one of those.

@Teaandcrumpets95 also - I hope you're ok! I'm sorry to hear you've been really upset too 😞

@bestwisheskindregards I'm okay thanks it's just a tricky time but I'm sure we'll all be okay 😊
I hope you're okay too x

I’ve no advice but I’m gutted that the WFH guidance is over too.

I don’t really want to commute on the busy tube with people breathing on me and picking up either covid or some other bug/virus.

My work asked if I was happy to return but I’ve not yet announced I’m pregnant (just 12 weeks now and awaiting for my scan) and I felt pressured to say yes, I’m fine to go back in.

Aside from catching covid, I’ll miss wearing stretchy jogging bottoms and working on the sofa in between meetings.

We have to go back to normal hun this is no way of life now... it has affected children and everyone so much, my kid is constantly at home whenever has the slightest cough , its ridiculous already. I worry too cause I'm pregnant at the moment but we cant just live in a bubble forever x

Expecting work to consider occupational hazards to health including viruses like covid is not the same as living in a bubble.....

OP ask your work to do a risk assessment, covid infection rates in my area are still really high so it's not unreasonable to ask to continue working from home until infection rates reduce, and also in your 3rd trimester when your risk is highest.

@bestwisheskindregards I’m currently in my second trimester and a teacher I was already feeling anxious as I was teaching classes with covid cases daily. Now they’re getting rid of masks etc. My anxiety is sky high. I don’t know if work will let me work from home in my third trimester now that restrictions have been lifted.

The risk assessment is a joke too - they’ve told me to socially distance in the classroom which is impossible with the classes I teach.