*sigh* this may take a while

EssexHebridean

Mark - thank you,  it just felt a teeny bit judgemental to me perhaps - and it worries me that if people feel they can't order tests in advance of the deadline for them still being free, if they subsequently then can't afford to buy they simply won't test even when they should. I absolutely agree that some folk will grab the free ones to sell on though - which is a disgrace.  

OhSh... - well done on saying no to the extra time! The basis you took the job on was that you *could* take extra shifts when it suited you, I seem to recall - so if it doesn't suit you! And all the more so if the regular shifts are made harder work by the attitude of management, too! 

mark55man

we have the smaller nespresso pods - not the vertua???? ones.  never had a problem with the blue l1dl ones although the purple ones go through a bit slow

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Yes, they're the ones, vertua/vertuo?  Something like that  

The hospital remains unchanged, we're all wearing masks and expecting patients to wear them too, although have to accept the odd few that refuse.  We're still expected to test and stay off if positive.  Not sure what will happen when tests are no longer free.  I won't be paying for them and that's the general consensus of colleagues too.  The mandatory vaccinations have apparently been abolished?  They were talking about it at work, although haven't seen it in the news.  However, I think the news outlets have more important things to worry about at the mo.  Awful 

EssexHebridean

Awful indeed, but yes, I did see something confirming that the mandate for vaccination is being withdrawn. I’m unsure whether this is good or bad personally - medics in particular already have to have jabs against things that might kill or seriously harm them, I’m unsure why having to have a jab against something that might not kill or seriously harm them, but could do so to their patients would be something that someone in what is meant to be a caring profession would be concerned about. 🤔 (And I know that for most, they’d have absolutely zero issue with it, as always though, it’s the vocal minority…)

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Yup, you're right... we have to prove we're immune to measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox and hepatitis (either through antibodies or immunisation).  And there's an expectation we'll have flu jab annually.  I had to have hepatitis jab but had had all the others in childhood.
I've always had flu jabs willingly and likewise the covid vaccs.  A lot of my colleagues avoid flu jab and although they've had covid jabs, they aren't keen.  I can see why too... they make you really poorly! And hospital expect you to have them on your own time and when you have time off afterwards as they know how ill you feel and want you ill on your own time and not hospital time.
I've probably moaned about it on here before, but I felt truly awful after my first covid jab.... much worse than when I had the actual virus, I called in sick (first time in 3 years!) and they made me take it as annual leave as it was my fault for having jab when I was working the next day.  Rankled a bit  
The second jab and he booster made me feel dodgy too (not as bad as first) but I was a good girl and had them on Fridays, but they did wipe the following weekends out.  It's weird that the vaccines made me feel worse than covid.  I've had it 3 times and really didn't feel ill at all.  Who knows?

enthusiasticsaver

I assume that the reason people do not generally feel that ill if they get Covid now is because they have been vaccinated. We keep getting told that people who are not vaccinated are the ones in hospital and sometimes still dying.  The only side effect we had from the jabs and the booster are sore arms. 

crunchy_time

I felt worse after having the booster than when I had actual Covid too. 

Bonkers they made you take it as annual leave! 

Xx

mark55man

not just bonkers - probably illegal as well - but you can pay it back by taking a sickie when you fancy one

EssexHebridean

enthusiasticsaver said:

I assume that the reason people do not generally feel that ill if they get Covid now is because they have been vaccinated. We keep getting told that people who are not vaccinated are the ones in hospital and sometimes still dying.  The only side effect we had from the jabs and the booster are sore arms. 

Yes - this is exactly it. 

I was pretty much fine after jab 1 - mildly tender arm but realised afterwards it was actually more likely that I’d slightly pulled a muscle in the gym the night before. Arm was pretty sore after number two but that was because I was silly enough to go straight to the gym after having it and do an upper-body focused session. 😆 Booster - back to just a mildly sore arm again, nothing more. What I have had is the massive disruption to menstrual cycle that a lot of people have reported - having fibroids, TOTM is never much fun, but on each occasion the month after the jab has been….how can I phrase this…..spectacularly grotty! 

If health trusts are making staff take time off for being poorly after the jab as holiday, then that actually explains to me why some previously rational folk might be resistant to being expected to have it. It’s completely  ridiculous. 

savingholmes

That is ridiculous. You were unfit to work.