Contradictory Disease Advice
Doublethink
Admin, 8th Day Host
I have a cold.
According to the NHS, a common cold lasts one to two weeks. The main recommended treatment is rest.
You remain infectious for one to two weeks - basically as long as you have symptoms.
My NHS work sickness policy allows me to self-certify illness for up to 7 calendar days, after which I would need a “fit” note (government speak for a sick note) from a GP. (Though they refer you to occupational health if you are sick more than a certain number of times in 12 months, I believe 6 episodes regardless of length, The average adult gets two to four colds a year.)
GPs don’t like to give you a note for before they’ve seen you, but it is also difficult to get same day appointments.
GPs don’t want to see you for a cold virus, because they can’t treat it unless you have now developed a bacterial infection.
According to the NHS, you should see your GP if a cough lasts more than three weeks. Or if you have underlying conditions such as diabetes and asthma, (I have both but not very severely and I am fairly certain they don’t want me to rock up immediately every time I have a cough.)
These time periods do not sync up.
It strikes me that it would be helpful if there had been any research trials of whether workers coming in whilst still symptomatic with colds (but not prostrate) leads overall to more lost work days in the workforce as a whole, than them coming in only once they are no longer infectious.
I know I will go back to work on Monday and probably be referred to occupational health, but to do what ? I can’t change my crappy lungs, there is a winter surge of respiratory viruses and I don’t think giving my patients and colleagues an infection will ultimately improve patient care. I will wear a mask whilst I am still coughing for another week or so.
According to the NHS, a common cold lasts one to two weeks. The main recommended treatment is rest.
You remain infectious for one to two weeks - basically as long as you have symptoms.
My NHS work sickness policy allows me to self-certify illness for up to 7 calendar days, after which I would need a “fit” note (government speak for a sick note) from a GP. (Though they refer you to occupational health if you are sick more than a certain number of times in 12 months, I believe 6 episodes regardless of length, The average adult gets two to four colds a year.)
GPs don’t like to give you a note for before they’ve seen you, but it is also difficult to get same day appointments.
GPs don’t want to see you for a cold virus, because they can’t treat it unless you have now developed a bacterial infection.
According to the NHS, you should see your GP if a cough lasts more than three weeks. Or if you have underlying conditions such as diabetes and asthma, (I have both but not very severely and I am fairly certain they don’t want me to rock up immediately every time I have a cough.)
These time periods do not sync up.
It strikes me that it would be helpful if there had been any research trials of whether workers coming in whilst still symptomatic with colds (but not prostrate) leads overall to more lost work days in the workforce as a whole, than them coming in only once they are no longer infectious.
I know I will go back to work on Monday and probably be referred to occupational health, but to do what ? I can’t change my crappy lungs, there is a winter surge of respiratory viruses and I don’t think giving my patients and colleagues an infection will ultimately improve patient care. I will wear a mask whilst I am still coughing for another week or so.
Comments
I had to go back to work with a cold recently because of the 7 calendar day rule - but luckily was able to work from home. I was flattened by it because I have underlying conditions and because it disturbs my already poor sleep.
Equally these same workplaces that love their 7 calendar day, Doctor's line and 'off you go to occupational health' rules dont take masking and clean air seriously. They generally dont monitor air quality, invest in air purifiers and normalise masking which would cut all these respiratory infections.
I caught the cold probably because I'd had to travel on my own on public transport and was afraid of being picked on and bullied if I masked - because we haven't normalised masking in winter in indoor public spaces or ensured clean air for them and we dont have easily available help against harassment on most public transport.
So basically it's assumed we're all fit and young, and so it's nothing and if you say it isnt without a doctor's note you're a malingerer, but workplaces won't actually do their bit to minimise spreading infection - they prefer just to blame us for not being splendid examples of eugenically fit little worker bees
I got this cold from my mother, it was pretty much unavoidable because I had to help her with her personal care over Christmas.
To be fair my manager is pretty good about this sort of thing - but sickness policy just doesn’t seem to recognise its inherent contradictions. And then people wonder why patients rock up to A&E of GP with transient illnesses of this kind - they need the documentation.
I had whooping cough as a child, which left me with an area of lung damage, and when I have a cold I always get it badly. I can’t take any over the counter meds for cold symptom relief with an evidence for efficacy (e.g. decongestants) as they either interact with my asthma or the other medications I take. (I checked when I had a bad combo cold and hayfever in the spring.)
I once accidentally took a decongestant a few years ago and it irritated my lungs so much the coughing made me vomit.