I work part-time as a therapist in a small aesthetic clinic there are four of us in total. I’m in my 40s, and the other three are in their late twenties. I’m also the only one with a young child (my son is two and in nursery).
Like a lot of parents, I do pick up the occasional bugs from nursery, and over the past six months I’ve had things like conjunctivitis, norovirus and COVID.
Last week I had a dry, tickly cough, so I chose to wear a mask while treating clients purely out of consideration, as I work very close to people’s faces. I didn’t feel unwell at the time and assumed it was due to the dry heat in the clinic.
A few days later, I did start to feel properly unwell (aches, fatigue, congestion), but I wasn’t due back at work for four days, so I rested and recovered.
When I returned, one colleague asked if I’d been ill because she now felt unwell. This isn’t the first time I’ve been asked this even when I haven’t been sick, there’s sometimes an assumption that I’ve brought something in, likely because I have a toddler.
I completely understand that bugs go around, especially in workplaces, but I can’t help feeling a bit singled out at times. Has anyone else experienced this as a parent in the workplace?