A manager in my office called in sick with a fever & sore throat

[Sparkle1984]

I have been working at home since Monday morning, like most other people in my office. However, this morning a manager called in sick with a fever and temperature, and he also said his young daughter has a cough. So I'm concerned it could be coronavirus, especially given the long incubation period.

Before we all started working from home, he worked in the same room of the office as me, although approximately 5 metres or more away from me and his desk faced away from me. I can't remember when he was last in the office as he always worked from home 2 or 3 days a week, even before the official guidance about working from home was released. I think it could have been last Wednesday, though, as he usually works from home on Thursdays and Fridays anyway.

So given the fact that his desk was quite far from mine, he was last in the office with me about a week ago, and I always wash my hands for 20 seconds after going to the toilet, touching door handles or before having a snack, do you think I could be at increased risk of getting coronavirus than anyone who hadn't worked in the same office-room as him?

I feel like I'm almost constantly checking to make sure that I don't have a tickle in my throat! Sometimes I feel paranoid that there's a very slight tickle in my throat, but I think it could be just because I'm hyper-vigilant about it at the moment. I'm still feeling more anxious today, ever since I heard this news about this colleague.

[Fishmanpa]

This is stressful for anyone let alone someone with anxiety. I think we're all experiencing trepidation, anxiety or not. One of my co-workers has been sent home and quarantined for 2 weeks. She was sick a couple of weeks ago and has been hacking and coughing up a storm. She always says its allergies but now? Sheesh! The company is taking precautionary measures and its been evolving day to day, sometimes hour to hour. There's just so much uncertainty. As I've said, I'm not too concerned about the virus even though I'm in the high risk group. I'm following the guidelines and will continue to do so. Its just a crazy time. In my 6 decades here on this earth, I don't recall anything close to this.

Hopefully, this will resolve soon and we'll come out of it stronger and more united.

Positive thoughts

[Sparkle1984]

Thanks. The manager is working again today already, so he only had yesterday off. So I'm guessing that means it was probably only a cold? If it was coronavirus or even the flu, I imagine you'd be wiped out for a few days and not feel like working? When I have a cold, I normally only take a day or two off work, especially to get over the fever at the beginning.

[Lencoboy]

Sounds like a false alarm then.

Still the manager was wisely erring on the side of caution by taking the 'better safe than sorry' approach, but great that he is supposedly OK now.

[Angiee74]

G


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[Angiee74]

I work in the medical field and we had 7 people out at the same time for cough and fever of course I panicked. They got tested for corona and it was negative just to show common colds are still going around. Since they were all negative for flu to!


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[Sparkle1984]

I work in the medical field and we had 7 people out at the same time for cough and fever of course I panicked. They got tested for corona and it was negative just to show common colds are still going around. Since they were all negative for flu to!


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Thanks - that's very reassuring!

[WiredIncorrectly]

It's also flu season don't forget.