Need some advice

Hey.
My brain is all over place right now.
So, my colleague has tested positive from Covid.
Should I shut my shop for a few days?

This is difficult isn’t it?
Perhaps someone who has been in this situation themselves will come along with advice.
In the meantime I wonder if you have tested yourself with a lateral flow test?

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I haven’t yet as I came into work and was told when I arrived. I want to go home, but apparently I’m overreacting :woman_shrugging:

I would get a test done and then make a decision. A very hard situation and do feel for anyone having to go out to work. Take care, hugs.

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So sorry to hear this, is it at all possible to do your job from home? Sounds like one of the major issues here is that if you haven’t caught it off them, the fact it’s in your workplace seriously increases your chances of catching it from some else who might have -and then all of the knock on effect that would create. Do a lot of other people work closely with this person? If there’s any other work they could give you to do at home might be worth talking to your surgery as think a doctor can give you a Wellness Note stating you need to work from home for your mental health.

I’m not sure what the answer is on your shop - I’m sure you could keep it open using the same rational / rules they are using to keep you in the workplace, but it probably comes down to how you feel about it morally. Daily testing and keeping a close eye on whether or not it turns into an workplace outbreak are probably the way to go.

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He’s on my team, I don’t work as close to him as the others do, so I’m trying not to worry too much. I’m triple jabbed as I work at the vaccination centre after work some evenings. I had a chat with my friend who I was meant to stay with from tonight until Sunday and we decided it was too risky and cancelled our plans.
It annoyed me because this guy’s sister tested positive last week and he still came to work. I’ve since cleaned everything he could have touched (even though my supervisor said I was being over the top), and we’ve had the sanitiser replaced on our floor today because it ran out a few days ago (this guy has been here not santising, and I’m not being funny, but out of the 5 of us, I’m the only one who washes their hands on a regular basis :rofl:).

I’m still in work, so I will take a test daily for the next 10 days. I will keep my shop open for now, and just keep testing myself.

The rule used to be that if someone in the building tested positive, the whole place would get sent home and a deep clean wouldbe done. I liked that rule better, but it considered to be too extreme.

I think I freaked out a bit this morning when I posted on here :sweat_smile:

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Try not to worry too much, if you’re triple jabbed it will help lessen your chances of getting seriously ill even if you are unlucky enough to catch it. As for him carrying on working after his sister’s positive test, that is probably because the advice at the moment is that close contacts don’t need to isolate if they’re jabbed (a friend of mine caught it and was advised to still send her 7yo daughter to school)

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I work in a school and the rules have been a lot more relaxed… but today we got told if we are a close contact of someone who has tested positive of the Omicron variant we need to self isolate for 10 day regardless of vaccine status or negative tests. It is a minefield because then there are the constantly changing definitions of a close contact.

From the point of view of your shop, I think the virus can only last 72 hours on a surface so if you post things second class with clean hands - or even wearing gloves - I can’t imaging there is much risk to others.

Kirsty

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I agree the guidelines are confusing. My colleague who works from home sent me a different set of guidelines this morning, which made my head spin.
I’m sure it will be fine and I’m just worrying too much.
Thank you everyone for your support xxx

@KirstyMacdonaldQuilts that’s a good point. I’m really careful with cleanliness when I pack everything x

Don’t blame you being worried as you don’t want to have to spend the festives unwell on your own or passing it on to family. You can only keep on doing your best to stay safe but don’t let anyone else belittle you for doing it just because they can’t be bothered anymore. You are quite right to raise your concerns at work, after all the place would grind to a halt if everyone got ill - it’s just common sense.

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My daughter and husband had covid, but I tested negative. I was told I didnt need to self isolate as I was fully vaccinated but I didn’t feel right going out and about with covid in my house so I only went out in my car to postbox and to walk dogs in a field where nonone was about!
I kept doing tests but I avoided catching it.
I still made my cards, I have a room in my house solely for this purpose . I was strict with hygeine and sanatised my hands regularly. I read somewhere the virus doesn’t live too long on surfaces . If I had caught covid I wouldn’t have made my cards .

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It sounds awful, but I’m glad my family have good immunity, all of them have had covid, apart from me and my niece, and they are all vaccinated too. I still don’t want anyone to have to have it twice.

I’m a bit worried as I also volunteer with Hospital Radio, I spent time with my co presenter on Tuesday evening and he’s in the at risk category. We are both wearing masks, but I did go a bit to close to him at one point because he was sad and I wanted to comfort him. We didn’t hug or anything, and I had all the windows open.

I’m one of those ridiculously annoying overthinkers :sweat_smile:

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