Coronavirus in the workplace

NortonExile

Well-known member
Someone at my workplace is now off with bad COVID-19. We are in a small office. Can anyone explain what is the correct process as apparently everyone is to work as usual tomorrow which I am sure is wrong. We have questioned management today expecting to self-isolate ourselves but told unless we have symptoms it is business as usual. A deep clean is to “be arranged” for next week but should we even be opening tomorrow?
 
Everyone who has been in close contact with your colleague should be getting contacted by test and trace. Assuming he has tested positive.
 
PHE will have asked your employer questions and they will have advised on the next step based on the answers given, the amount of time in close proximity seems to be the main decider on who needs to self isolate and who doesn’t, it’s yet another facet of policy that lacks linear sense.
 
Surely if you have been in contact you should be self isolating and wait to see if symptoms arise, otherwise you could have an office full of Covid positive people merrily going on their way???
 
That’s what I believe but no, business as usual tomorrow. I could have it and potentially be spreading it about but because I do not have symptoms I cannot go for a test, nor should I be self-isolating. Its ridiculous. No wonder cases are rising all the time around here 😡.
 
If they have been in the office then everyone who has been in contact has to isolate for two weeks, regardless of a negative test or even if you have no symptoms. Your leaving your self open to a fine if you go back into work and the company an even bigger fine. Happening all over the place with smaller companies that the office is getting a quick clean and everyone back in the next day, inevitable what will happen
 
You’ll have all been self isolating at work?

you only need to self isolate if:

  • spends significant time in the same household
  • is a sexual partner
  • has had face-to-face contact (within one metre), including:
    • being coughed on
    • having skin-to-skin physical contact, or
    • contact within one metre for one minute
  • has been within 2 metres of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes
  • has travelled in a small vehicle, or in a large vehicle or plane
 
GazC has it right, this is form the gov.uk site, read through the below and then you can decide if you you are a 'contact' if you are not then your employer is correct and vice versa.

What is meant by a ‘contact’
A ‘contact’ is a person who has been close to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 anytime from 2 days before the person was symptomatic up to 10 days from onset of symptoms (this is when they are infectious to others). For example, a contact can be:

  • people who spend significant time in the same household as a person who has tested positive for COVID-19
  • sexual partners
  • a person who has had face-to-face contact (within one metre), with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, including:
    • being coughed on
    • having a face-to-face conversation within one metre
    • having skin-to-skin physical contact, or
    • contact within one metre for one minute or longer without face-to-face contact
  • a person who has been within 2 metres of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes
  • a person who has travelled in a small vehicle with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or in a large vehicle or plane near someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
Where an interaction between 2 people has taken place through a Perspex (or equivalent) screen, this would not be considered sufficient contact, provided that there has been no other contact such as any of those indicated above.
 
The other factor to consider is if you consider yourself a close contact based on the above, have your broke health and safety within the workplace which could open up disciplinary routes
 
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