How are you all dealing with coronavirus and the restrictions... #2

Apparently self isolation for infected people will end on the end of this month here. Idk it seems too much too soon for that, I’m wondering if that means my own company policy of sick pay for covid absence will end? When I had covid getting sick pay from day 1 of illness was a good thing- it meant I didn’t have to go to work and push on through feeling unwell (we normally lose first 3 days pay for other sickness absence so most times we come in and work through it, it’s not healthy IMO). From my perspective this is not a good thing for ordinary working people and surely infection will spread?

I’m also not confident this government will take the right decisions for the good of public health, they are desperate to win back support of voters after the whole expose of the lockdown parties they had. I have zero trust in them.

A complete end to self isolation sounds bizarre. Isn't that common sense to stay home if you've tested positive? Whatever the law is, companies would be unwise to go back to policies that involve workers coming in sick. During our omicron surge, a lot of places would close because all the staff was sick... but apparently that must be cheaper than giving people sick pay to keep the infections out in the first place.

An unvaxxed person I've worried about caught Covid. Thankfully it was a very mild case and now he will have immunity.

For asymptomatic people or for everyone? I'm not entirely up to date but I've heard asymptomatic people allowed to work elsewhere as well in critical jobs where there would be a staff shortage otherwise.

Would you not still get sick pay for being sick, anyway?

I did it! I'm in London. So far, so good. Haven't done much yet as I only just arrived, traveled to my hotel, checked in and grabbed some lunch, now I'm about to go exploring. Sun is out and I'll mostly be outside so pretty safe.

Just a bit annoyed at the arsehole next to me on the plane this morning who sat down and immediately took his mask off??? Obviously the flight attendant told him to put it back on, this group was being generally obnoxious. Luckily I could move seats (which they then felt the need to comment on. Urgh.)

And the numbers seem to be going down in my city. As predicted we would hit the omnicron peak first in Germany, seems that may have happened now.

How soon can you get a booster after testing positive for Covid? I heard 3 months on here, but my wife says you can get it whenever.

Sorry to read you ended up sat next to an obnoxious passenger, good for you moving seats! Glad you’re safely in London and hoping you’ll have a nice stay there.

To answer the end of self isolation, apparently people will still be advised to stay home if unwell but no legal obligation anymore. It applies to both asymptomatic and symptomatic cases.

As for sick pay many workers in UK do not receive sick pay until day 4, so lose 3 days pay. Covid was different because of legal requirement to isolate, so there was state support or company support. It was the one time we weren’t penalised for being sick, it was good for many working people. It’s unclear whether this will continue or not.

I don’t know about the US but in the UK it’s no sooner than 28 days after a positive test.

@Discombobulated - that is interesting about sick pay not taking effect right away. Here it is similar. You start getting paid on day 4 from your insurer. Although, some employers agree to compensate for some of those days. My last job would pay for 4 days a year.

This may sound odd but all the covid restrictions have been traumatizing, because they remind me of the power hospitals and doctors have. It bled out into society.

I'm constantly reminded of my stays in 4 North, a psychiatric inpatient unit.

I also heard 3 months.

And wow @ the sick pay. In Germany sick days are paid. Employers can require a doctor's note though. Some do from day 1, some only if you're sick a few more than 2 or 3 days in a row. But your pay just continues, only when it's for several weeks (I think it's 7 but not sure) on the insurance takes over.

Thank you, Sarah, for sharing. You brought up a point that we all have to consider. The role of the medical staff is very hard.
I saw a documentary about how it all began in China and how the nurses faced to a terrible stress because of having to deal with people dying everyday and the impotence they felt and how they were the only ones who can have contact with sick people. They were alone there, as well as the patients.
I wouldn’t be shocked if they develop PTSD.
Hope your brother take it as good as possible.

Here the masks now are not needed outdoors.
Anyway, I’m as always, a free verse. I don’t care about what a politician decide we have to do at a moment.
I take the mask hanged with a lace and I put it on when I have to interact with a person.
I only listen to doctors and scientists.

A perfect example of stupidity by politicians is the covid passport. It simply has not f@cking sense. Vaccines don’t prevent contagious. It’s a defence for the person who get vaccinated. It doesn’t make any sense.

Still waiting a brilliant idea from a politician. That day, I will bathe naked in the fountain of Trevi. 🙄

Ah, I forgot. Next 16th will be hold a demonstration in my city for Public Health. Of course, I will be there. 😀

I must be the biggest hypocrite here for getting annoyed when people ignore covid rules but still traveled to the UK during a pandemic twice, even. have to admit I got out of the habbit of wearing a face mask in stores & cafes pretty quickly. but I still wore one where it was required, unlike a lot of people around here.

You aren’t at all a hypocrite, you’re within rules and it sounds like you’ve followed guidance wherever you went too.

Hoping you enjoyed your trip!

Not at all. People at this point in time, should be free to travel whenever they want. You took all kind of safety rules along the worst and long time during the pandemia. Don’t feel like that because it’s not true.
And you had all the right to complain about how some citizens had behaved when the vaccines weren’t still ready and they didn’t care. But, you know...there’s always a group of people who never give a $hit about others. They feel entitle.
You behave as a good citizen. And having social anxiety, develop depressions as many people have developed...all this makes things very hard for us. We need at this point, a kind of relief.

Our cases have plummeted 93%. They are talking about no masks in schools by march.

I got back from the UK on Sunday and have been staying at home since then. I'm not required to quarantine because I've been vaccinated, I just want to be on the safe side.

And my app also showed up with a red warning of an increased risk due to an encounter last Friday. Interesting because I was in the UK for most of the day where people don't have the German app, and I had Bluetooth switched off before take off on the plane. (I hope it wasn't the maskless arsehole next to me who tested positive!)

Might go for a walk after work today if it's not raining. Then tomorrow do a test before going to the store. I have a slight sore throat and foggy head, but I have that all the time so I'm not worried I might have covid.

Getting into the UK was lot easier than expected. They only checked my passenger locator form and vaccination certificate when I checked in my luggage, no checks at all upon entering the UK. A lot of people probably wouldn't even have check in luggage for a weekend away so they just breezed through.

On the way back, the airline didn't check anything at all. (Corona wise I mean. Obviously they did check boarding passes and passports ;) )
Back in November when I traveled by train, the train company wouldn't even let people enter the terminal without showing them all the documents.

Getting back into Germany was more of a pain. The automatic passport gates were closed so everyone was being checked manually. One by one. Stood in line for ages. And they almost gave me a heart attack when the first sign I came across said ALL passengers from a high risk area MUST provide a negative test result. "What, how, I triple checked I didn't need a test? Oh god are they not going to let me in, am I going to be that idiot who didn't follow the rules?!" I was seriously starting to panic until I saw the smaller sign at the front "please keep your test result or vaccination certificate ready." :rolleyes:

Did you enjoy your trip, @BreakForTheLight ?
I hope so!

I cannot wait to go on holiday but I have a couple of friend's weddings (and my own) to attend this year so Im not sure when or if we'll get away until after the wedding.

I absolutely love travelling and I have missed it sooo much!

My coping mechanisms for working in a high stress job are socialising, exercising and travelling - all of which I couldnt do initially because of the rules and everywhere being closed. Ive really struggled with the social isolation part of the restrictions but Ive followed the rules and been very careful.

Ive worked through the pandemic without really taking any time off for an extended period (2 or 3 weeks) so that probably hasnt helped.

I think thats probably why I have ended up in such a bad episode. It all just got on top of me. Along with general life stressors which would be difficult to deal with on their own, never mind when I have very few coping mechanisms left to fall back on.

I suppose I need to find some other coping mechanisms that will help me to deal with life stress and work stress that I can do alone. Its hard to think of some. I do enjoy painting and art but I dont know if I can relax enough when I do it, maybe I should take an art class to learn more.

Sorry for telling you all of my life story
I hope you are all having a lovely day!

It hasn’t been said in outright but there’s indications the free testing is going to more or less end here, PCR and lateral flow.

This worries me, I still use lateral flow tests before I volunteer with the elderly, and before I visit my parents. If it weren’t for lateral flow tests I wouldn’t have known as soon as I did that I had covid and wouldn’t have known to stay away from people.

I’m really confused and concerned. I’ve actually started stocking up on lateral flow tests. I don’t trust the government to do the right thing by the public.

I have some positive news from here. Omicron seems to have hit its peak when comparing daily cases week on week.

I been trying to stay busy and sanitize everything.