Coronavirus WWYD

[PinkTulip]

I need a gut check here to see if I’m being paranoid or prudent here - I lean towards being anxious so I’m wondering if that is coloring my perception:

My office at work is right next to a woman who just got back on Monday from a 10-day cruise to the Caribbean. Today she is sneezing and sounds like she is coughing up a lung. She says it is just allergies (could be - I’ve only worked here a few months), but my fight or flight reaction is to work from home today, which is 100% not a problem work-wise. 

I live in a state with only one diagnosed case, a passenger on the Diamond Princess, who is quarantined in a local hospital and has so far not showed any symptoms. 

What would y’all do if you were me? Stay at work, or head home?

[marbel]

If you can work from home, why not?  What is the down side to working from home?  Are you worried it cause bad feelings among coworkers if you go home? 

Even if it is not CV, she could have the flu or just a bad cold.  

[PinkTulip]

8 minutes ago, marbel said:

If you can work from home, why not?  What is the down side to working from home?  Are you worried it cause bad feelings among coworkers if you go home? 

Even if it is not CV, she could have the flu or just a bad cold.  

As a new-ish employee, it’s better to have the “face time” in the office.

[marbel]

36 minutes ago, PinkTulip said:

As a new-ish employee, it’s better to have the “face time” in the office.

OK, I get that.  So, sounds like it's really not "100% not a problem work-wise"?  I guess in your situation I would stay at work and hope that it truly is just allergies, and stay clear of her as much as possible without being obnoxious about it.  

 

 

[gardenmom5]

can you share your concerns with your boss, and work from home?   in Washington - the county I'm in is telling people to work from home if they can.  (and to  stay home when possible.)

- I will add, my mom had copd, asthma, and allergies.  she sounded like she was coughing up a lung. all. the. time. because of the lung damage from the copd (I have never heard of 'just' allergies causing that type of coughing.  and I know people with severe environmental allergies).  the first time I had pneumonia - I sounded like her.  I wasn't as bad this time 

 

[marbel]

If the coughing woman feels certain she is simply suffering from allergies, why would she wear a mask? Not being argumentative, but wondering what would be the point, other than to make her coworkers feel more comfortable (which might be a valid reason).  

 

[marbel]

NM; too far OT. 

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by marbel

[Katy]

I'd mention to your boss that given seatmate is coughing due to "allergies" you'll be working from home until 3 weeks after her cruise OR whenever her allergy meds actually start working, whichever one comes first.

Your boss might ask HER to work from home.  You can't be the only person this is bothering.   Maybe she needs an inhaler, but it would seriously ick me out too.

Signed, the woman who hasn't left her house in ten days except to drive around or take out the garbage because we've had a bad cold or a mild flu or possibly the stupid virus.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Katy
autocorrect fails again

[PinkTulip]

Update: my boss heard my co-worker coughing (apparently not normal for her to be coughing so much), and sent her home to work. I have wiped down all of my area with Clorox wipes and feeling less anxious. Thanks everyone! 

[RootAnn]

Thanks for the update, @PinkTulip. My dd#1 has allergies & says she can tell the difference between a cold & allergies for sure by whether she's coughing.

For her, no cough=allergies.