That is the question…
This new variant of Covid is spreading like wildfire. At the start of the week I was in two minds whether or not to return to work. I have a slightly reduced airway, and I feel the difference in breathing even if I catch a cold. I did have a cold and scratchy throat over the Christmas week, and to start with I thought it was Covid. However, I had no fever, rash or cough, just the sneezes. It’s gone now, and I feel fine.
With Sam’s persuasion and my own common sense I decided not to return to work just yet. Yes, I feel guilty when I think of those poor nurses and doctors on the front line, but hey, I’m not indispensable – I just type clinic letters. I haven’t got a permanent contract, and can work whenever I want to.
Today a colleague who works in my office told me that two doctors in the department are down with Covid, and also one of the secretaries who works with me. Some other secretaries are off due to sickness or having to self-isolate, and that she was in the office on her own. I feel even more guilty now…
I’ve emailed my manager to ask her if I can work from home, but to give a Trust laptop to somebody as lowly as myself is probably never going to happen. However, I’ve asked, and if I don’t ask then I won’t know, will I?
It’s getting a bit scary. Some UK hospitals are close to becoming overwhelmed. Why on earth some people would think that Covid is fake news I can’t imagine.
Scary! Stay at home if you can!
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Stay home!!!!!!!!!!!!! x
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I am at the moment.
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!! 🙂 x
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If you can work from home, stay home. This new thing is bad news.
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It is indeed. Have you got the new variant where you are?
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South of here in Houston. It’s a matter of time with schools open and people gathering like it’s all a hoax.
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Some people have notices in their windows in our villages stating that Covid is a hoax. They will of course be the first ones in the queue at A&E when they eventually catch it.
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There was a Mexican girl on the news a couple of days ago mourning the death of her father. He believed it was a hoax. The public service aspect of her message was obvious. People are dropping like flies, they’re keeping the bodies in refrigerated truck trailers and people are still screaming it violates their rights to wear a mask and the whole thing is a hoax. Crazy.
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Yes. On the news this morning I read that mortuaries are full in Surrey and that they’ve had to put up temporary ones. The only people who are making a profit out of this pandemic are the undertakers.
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I agree with everyone else. You can’t take the risk, especially if you’ve had any issues in the past. I had pneumonia once, so I try to be extra cautious. As far as working from home, more businesses will have to make that choice.
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Thanks Pete. I only wish I could work from home, but at the moment it’s not possible.
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Right decision – you are asking to work from home and that sounds feasible and being a cancer survivor surely makes you vulnerable. It’s getting very scary. My NHS physio in the community daughter has had her first vaccination, but her children are in nursery and school as their parents are both key workers – and hey live in one of the worst areas.
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It is scary, Janet. Some people don’t realise how scary it is out there.
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I think the fact that people are getting sick where you work is an even greater incentive to stay away. You will get no thanks if you risk yourself anyway.
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Very true.
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A very sensible choice indeed, Stevie. If you are not on the ‘front line’, no need to expose yourself to any unnecessary risk.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks Pete. I feel sorry for the ones who have to.
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You made the right decision. Especially if people in the office are getting sick. It is a bit scary out there. Stay safe.
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Sam tells me I’ve made the right decision too. I can’t help feeling guilty though, that I’m safe at home and others have to go in whether they want to or not. I guess I’m lucky to be able to work the hours I want to.
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Yes you made the right decision. Here we have a lot of people working, for many jobs you just cannot ‘work from home’ and so people are going in to work.
Indeed I sense people round here are getting sick of the BBC talking about everybody working from home.
If the first lockdown 57% of people in London did, but only 46.6% nationally and in this area it might have been as low as a third.
This is interesting https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/coronavirusandhomeworkingintheuk/april2020
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Thanks Jim. Some of the permanent secretaries can work from home, but I don’t hold out much hope that I’ll be given a hospital laptop.
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which is a Health and safety issue. I know companies which work with a lot of classified design work (nuclear submarines etc) and the companies are happy to let staff work from home. The secure IT is easy enough to set up
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I think it’ll come down to if there are enough laptops, with many staff already working from home.
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