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Going Back to Work

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Dan101

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hey, throwing this out there as my first post. I've been very lucky over lockdown and the past 4 months as my boss has let me work from home and remain there even though some diabetics didn't fall under the 'clinically extremely vulnerable' category. Anyway, it's approaching the time where I have to return to work as my job doesn't really lend itself to how working full time.

So, I wanted to ask if anyone else was in the same/similar situation. My boss has put a lot of extra measures in place and I have my own risk assessment in place but I'm still freaking out. I worry about getting I'll and dying. That's honestly how I feel and I apologise for being frank but I wanted to get across how I feel. The thoughts don't overwhelm me all day everyday but I know that as the time for my return to working in the building comes that my anxiety and worry will increase.

I would really appreciate some other views/opinions and suggestions. Many thanks in advance.
 
Hi @Dan101, difficult times indeed. Most of our team have been working partly or fully from home since lockdown, despite working for the NHS. The practitioners were able to complete assessments over the phone before they were brought back in. (We work in Community Mental Health rather than primary care). A couple of team members have been shielding and there is talk of them returning to the office. I've been popping in most days throughout to collect printing and send out the post, but I've had limited exposure as I keep my visits short and sweet.

I'm glad your boss has got your risk assessment in place and put in extra measures. It sounds like they are being sensible, but no amount of sense will quell your initial terror at going back into the workplace. You should be fine if they have made it a covid-safe space but I think we've all catasrophised our situations given the horrendous deaths in the first half of the year.

Could your boss possibly agree to a phased return to give you a feeling of safety? Say, just going in for an hour for a few days, then increasing the length of time you are in the workplace? This should give you the opportunity to see how safe you feel it is, and build your confidence about the safety of your environment.

That's what our boss is doing with the people who have been shielding. Our working space has been drastically reduced and only half our small team can be in at any one time. We have plenty of PPE and we are taking baby steps to return people to "normal" if there will ever be such a thing again.

Wishing you well x
 
Firstly, from one keyworker to another, thank you. Secondly, thank you for your reply. Yes, feeling anxious and then attempting to rationalise is what I'm trying to do, it's a balancing act. Yes, I would agree that I am in a fortunate situation with my boss. A phased return is something I had not considered at all and is something that I will bring up with them, thank you for that, I really appreciate your insight.
The are a lot of changes necessary as we all move forward into 'the new normal'.

Thank you once again.
 
Sorry to hear about your worries @Dan101

It sounds like you have a supportive and proactive employer - who is putting measures in place so that you can work as safely as possible.

I understand your concerns, and of course you are right to be cautious, because none of us want to catch the virus if we can help it, but it’s also important to recognise that the risk of death in T1 from covid is very low unless you are older than retirement age. The NHS data/study that showed increased risk for T1s was at an average age of 76. For those younger than 40-45 there was not much higher risk of death than for the general population, and there were at that stage no recorded T1 covid deaths younger than 21.

So yes, none of us want to catch covid, and it’s absolutely right to take precautions and be careful, but the risks remain low of a severe case if you are exposed to the virus, and the risk of being exposed is also quite low - depending on where you are in the country.

Hope your return to work goes well, and you can put your mind at rest.
 
It's not going back to the office that freaks me out, it is the thought of being on the train. I really dont fancy it all at. So I completely get what you are saying.

My brother is an air steward and they have gone back to work, he doesn't understand my fear of getting the trains as he has been on planes with 100s of people since he started back a few weeks ago. And he was working all of March. And he hasn't caught it, so I think the risk is very low. Still I will not be going back into the office until I really need to.

Currently my employer have only allowed those who really need to go back in the office in. Upto 250 could be in the office, but only about 10 people have been in at the same time so far, so my employer is taking it very serious.

I don't actually think the risk is that high it's just the unknown.
 
If it’s any comfort, Eldest Madeline has been into London in the last week, and the trains are eerily empty even during rush hour. Tubes too. She said it feels really spooky cos she’s used to travelling with her face rammed in some random’s armpit. Spooky but an improvement, obviously.
 
Madeline said:
If it’s any comfort, Eldest Madeline has been into London in the last week, and the trains are eerily empty even during rush hour. Tubes too. She said it feels really spooky cos she’s used to travelling with her face rammed in some random’s armpit. Spooky but an improvement, obviously.
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Yes that does help, I’ll be travelling into Manchester . Although I won’t be going back in The office until the Child is back at school
 
I work in a primary school and, even though i wasn't allowed to go in during the height and lockdown, i started back on 1st June. With all of the enhanced cleaning and precautions, i felt really safe. I was just glad to have a bit of "normality" back and to see people face to face. You don't realise how much we need contact with others until you don't have it. Phone calls/zoom etc just aren't the same. I can't wait to hug family and friends. Its definitely human contact i missed.
 
Hi @Dan101 I think most of us can empathise with you as none of us should be complacent about Covid. I worked from a ‘safe hub’ during lockdown but personally couldn’t wait to get back to the main surgery. Yes I was a little unsure and nervous but after a day of being back I felt fine. All precautions were in place and if you continue to wash your hands thoroughly, wear a mash where necessary and be sensible you should be absolutely fine. Sometimes the thought of doing something is much worse than the actual doing it. I wish you well with your decision x
 
SueEK said:
Sometimes the thought of doing something is much worse than the actual doing it
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I agree with that. Even though i was happy and couldn't wait to get back, the night before i felt really sick and nervous. When i got to work and saw what precautions were being taken, i was fine.
 
I can't wait to get back. So far, I have been told I am in the red team...
 
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