Co-Workers kids have H1N1, she is exposed and coming to work and I am pregnant...

[Anonymous]

My co-worker hasn't been feeling 100% all week (chills, coughing, fever...) and yesterday both of her kids were confirmed to have H1N1. She has been coming to work and has obviously been exposed. I am 39 weeks and going for my shot tomorrow. Should I have any concern? I have been washing my hands constantly, anti-bacterial soaping in beeween. So far I feel fine but it's scary!!

[Anonymous]

Very irresponsible of her. I would be furious. Even if you weren't pregnant, I'd be mad. What about people who have asthma, etc. at work? Totally selfish.

[Anonymous]

With all the publicity about the flu, it completely amazes me that people would come to work when they are running a fever. what are they thinking?!! I hope you ask her to stay home until it's over--even if you get the shot tomororw, immunity takes a week or so to build up.

[Anonymous]

It is irresponsible of her to come in to work sick. That being said, I have a co-worker with 4 kids. 2 of them (age 12) got H1N1. Neither of the other 2 (ages 3 and 1) got it, nor did either parent. So I'm guessing from that that it hopefully isn't completely congatious, and if you haven't been directly exposed to her coughing or sneezing on you, you should be fine.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure I'll be slammed for trying to get someone in trouble, but what is your office policy? I'm a contractor and both my firm and the gov't agency I support are telling folks not to come to work if displaying flu symptoms. In addition, they are telling managers to monitor their staff and send home anyone who appears sick. With that in mind, can you discretely inform her boss and/or HR that she is clearly ill and needs to be sent home?

[Anonymous]

omg! What a selfish person. People at my work are staying home if they have colds. What is wrong with that person!

[Anonymous]

Hi

I'm afraid you're going to have to just deal with her stupidity. You are 39 weeks so is there a chance of getting out a week early for leave, or are you working until the last minute?

The flu shot will not take effect for about two weeks, so getting it this weekend is not going to give you instant immunity come Monday. I think you're just going to have to self-segregate yourself as much as possible (if you can't get a manager to discuss office policy with her).

[Anonymous]

Also, I just read on the CDC website that if you plan to breastfeed or pump/feed, you will pass on your immune system benefits to your kids. That can be helpful.

[Anonymous]

OP here- Ha, great. She IS a manager, she is my office manager. She has been in and out taking half days but she is still here. GREAAAAATTTT. I feel so freakin' safe like she said I was. NOT

[Anonymous]

I would be furious too, and a little worried about my job security if I complained about my office manager.
Can you work from home?

[Anonymous]

She sucks, but the flu is EVERYWHERE. EVERYWHERE.

Doorknobs, bathrooms, you name it.

Don't sweat it.

[Anonymous]

I am going to talk to my owner today and see what we can do...it's really not the best idea for me to be here obviously. I can only take 6 weeks of leave and it's going to be unpaid so I need to save as much money as I can. This is so tough. I will callmy doctor and see what they recomend

[Anonymous]

OP, my OB told me that if I knew I was exposed, she would prescribe Tamiflu for me right away. You have to decide if you would want to take Tamiflu but in addition to getting the vaccine, you should call your OB and see what she wants to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am going to talk to my owner today and see what we can do...it's really not the best idea for me to be here obviously. I can only take 6 weeks of leave and it's going to be unpaid so I need to save as much money as I can. This is so tough. I will callmy doctor and see what they recomend

Off topic, but assumign you have been at your employer for over a year, and don't work part-time or have used a bunch of medical leave already, you have up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave. Sixteen if you work in DC.

[Anonymous]

I was exposed at work by a co-worker to the swine flu, and I asked my dr for tamiflu to take preventively. She prescribed it, and I took the meds and never came down with it.