I made a mistake and feel so guilty

MayBee70

So, what if the shop assistant knew she had covid but was happily continuing to work even though she knew she might infect people? Is it any wonder the covid infection rate is so high at the moment?

She is working in a shop so she may well be in contact with people who have Covid not many test now and if they are like me they may not even know they have it as I had zero symptoms both times.
The OP told her which many wouldn’t even bother.

Knowing you tested positive, did you have a mask on Brownhamster?
That least would have lessened the risk.

There are many infections around this winter, not just Covid. Not many people do tests now, so nobody really knows whether it is Covid or not. I hope anyone with an infection is cautious and avoids going to places where there are likely to be older and vulnerable people in an enclosed space, but in general, life carries on.
I would not have said anything in the shop though.

I actually thought that the pandemic would make people in this country more thoughtful about the well being of others, the way they are in eastern countries, but I was wrong

Marydoll

Knowing you tested positive, did you have a mask on Brownhamster?
That least would have lessened the risk.

This.

Doubt if you ll go to hell brownhamster most people are walking around with Covid now and most people aren’t testing themselves there are no rules about staying off work or school any more, so you did nothing wrong
Very few people are testing now
You didn’t go near anyone in the quiet shop, so stop worrying
Someone gave it to me a few weeks back but no idea who
I wasn’t with anyone who was coughing or sneezing

I understand the current advice to NHS staff is that they should carry on going to work if they test positive for covid

Avaline The shop assistant could have someone vulnerable at home or know somebody who died from Covid she could have but brownhamster may have been the tenth customer with Covid to be buying paracetamol on that day it is totally on the streets everywhere as is flu and colds at the moment

MayBee70

I actually thought that the pandemic would make people in this country more thoughtful about the well being of others, the way they are in eastern countries, but I was wrong

As someone who is immunocompromised, after reading some of the comments on here, I will continue to be extra vigilant.
I find it quite unsettling how blasé some of the public are about Covid.

I do not expect anyone to keep me safe, that is my own responsibility. However, a little thought for those who are vulnerable and taking reasonable steps not to spread Covid wouldn't go amiss.

I read today that the DWP are now including Long Covid in the conditions that are eligible for PIP. Covid can indeed be life changing.

Hi keepcalmandcavachon ,

It's only recently that things have become difficult :
We used to have our meds delivered - then the system went wrong :
Yesterday , the chemist told me that I've had my meds when I haven't !

And we used to have food deliveries and that's not great either .
Normally , my back up system works very well .

It will sort itself out .

Thank you .😊

I agree Marydoll. You are not alone. I only have asthma and epilepsy (the latter for some reason making covid more serious), not the health problems you have, but I have groceries, meat and fish delivered and mainly shop online because I can’t face the danger which crowded places present with no requirement for testing, isolating or wearing a mask. It frightens me that people with covid can mix with everyone with no requirement for isolating or using a mask. I am fully vaccinated but that isn’t a silver bullet. I could have been in the shop OP used - it just happened to be quiet. It would be nice to think that if someone knew they had covid they would avoid others - pie in the sky. Nobody knows how vulnerable the person they happen to encounter may be.

I agree with Marydoll and GSM. You tested positive for covid but you still went into a shop? The assistant could have been immune compromised, others in the shop might have caught it from you too. You could have stayed home and got someone to get stuff for you or shopped online. I think you were very selfish and I don't understand those who are downplaying covid. It's still here and it still causes damage to people.

You kept your distance and you needed to buy things. I just think I would wear a mask if I had covid.

Indeed. Just a few days ago we were talking about Derek Draper - and there are many suffering, to a greater or lesser extent, from long covid. I think many have become very blasé about it since rules were abandoned. I’m not suggesting the OP is blasé as she later worried about what she had done, and hopefully there were no adverse consequences, but so many are now treating it like the common cold, hence it spreads and still kills.

My SIL went out on NewYears Eve with a group of people. Felt fine but woke up the next day with a cough. My daughter contacted me, told me not to go round as he’d tested positive. He’d contacted the people he’d been out with to warn them. Isolated himself from the rest of the family till he tested negative. So some of us are still taking covid seriously. I know of several people that say they haven’t been the same since contracting covid. One friend says he’s permanently tired, another who’s in a walking group says she now struggles to keep up with everyone. Living with it doesn’t mean ignoring it.

My daughter has long covid following the infection in December 2022. She has not been able to work since Jan 2023 and possibly will not in 2024. My formerly sporty and active young daughter has to rest several times a day.
I am in remission from a blood cancer and my husband has severe COPD so we are keeping our distance from Joe Public.

I shop at 8.00 in the morning when the supermarket is quiet and only meet friends for coffee outside. Tricky in this cold weather now. My life is no longer "normal" and certainly neither is my daughter's.

For many many people it has not been and will not be in the future just a cold. I would hope that anyone knowingly infected would take great measures to avoid infecting others.

For many many people it has not been and will not be in the future just a cold. I would hope that anyone knowingly infected would take great measures to avoid infecting others.

This!

If the public, in general, is now blasé about Covid, they must be equally blasé about flu which can be equally debilitating and, in some cases, dangerous. I don't think that a cold is 'just a cold' for people who are vulnerable. while we were still wearing masks, it was evident that there were fewer colds around that winter. Makes you think, doesn't it!

not many people do tests now

yes and that is the trouble. people walking around amongst others with coughs and colds and not doing a test in case they have covid and have to isolate.

mumofmadboys

I understand the current advice to NHS staff is that they should carry on going to work if they test positive for covid

That’s the advice where my dd is an A&E medic. You go to work unless you have a fever or feel too ill to go in. Nor do they test anyone patients unless there is a specific reason to do so.

The Uk[or is it the government or NHS or both] seem to be more blase about coughs/colds etc in general.
School children are supposed to go to school with all sorts.

I dont agree with it all myself.
Makes the nation sicker in my opinion.

I am afraid that I would have told you off as well and given you a wide berth. I will be very annoyed if I catch covid again from someone who knows that they have tested positive and then still goes out. Surely we don't still need to be told how to behave.

I find that really frightening SueDonim.

lemsip

*not many people do tests now*

yes and that is the trouble. people walking around amongst others with coughs and colds and not doing a test in case they have covid and have to isolate.

I suspect many do not even have tests anymore at home and as forced isolation was quite a while ago this cannot be a reason

Germanshepherdsmum

I find that really frightening SueDonim.

As a frequent visitor to A&E that worries me too. To think that immunocompromised patients may be treated by a clinician, who has Covid, is terrifying!