Is It Ethical to Ask Someone Who Just Came Back from China Recently to Not Come to Work/School?

Taro Milk Tea on 28/01/2020 - 11:18
Last edited 29/01/2020 - 16:01

Corona virus is definitely a big issue at the moment. It also creates some ethical issues among many of us.

My mate told me today in his workplace, his colleague who just came back from China were "confronted" by her peers asking her to leave the office immediately because they are afraid she might have the virus.
Long story short, she left from the office, obviously not in a good term.

This makes me thinking, is it ethical to do so? At the same time, the fear is understandable. But if I were that person, I would be kind of offended even though I know I might be just fine…

What do you think guys? Is it normal and ethical to do so?

Poll Options

  • 804
    Yes
  • 190
    No
Health & Beauty

Comments

                      • ThadtheChad on 30/01/2020 - 08:45

                        @crentist: It originates from Wechat, it's spread from there to other social media.

                        Anyone with 2 intact brain cells would be able to tell it's fake (reads like a spam email).

                        • BartholemewH on 30/01/2020 - 14:21
                          +1

                          @ThadtheChad: Exactly. If you read the word 'diseasology' and don't immediately delete, I have no words.

              • sagrules on 28/01/2020 - 16:16
                +1

                @crentist: The national toll was now 106, authorities said.

                There were 1,771 new cases confirmed in China on Monday, raising the total to 4,515, according to the Health Commission.

                It confirmed 976 of those new cases were in a serious condition.

                In addition to air transmission, the coronavirus can be spread through physical contact, the NHC said in a statement.

                No fatalities have been reported outside of China.

                Source ABC news : https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-28/coronavirus-death-tol…

      • Archi on 29/01/2020 - 10:32

        Well..maybe not or maybe "not yet"

        well that didn't take long… 2 confirmed cases 1 in japan and 1 in germany

        • Taro Milk Tea on 29/01/2020 - 10:36

          yup saw that news, are we pretty much screwed now? lol

    • trapper on 28/01/2020 - 12:34
      +3

      no human to human transmissions have been recorded here in Australia yet

      Yes and let's keep it that way by not unnecessarily exposing people…

  • capslock on 28/01/2020 - 11:45
    +35

    I wouldn't be complaining if I was forced to take a week or two off and still got paid for it.

    • bobbified on 28/01/2020 - 12:04
      +3

      This is the downside for those who are able to work from home lol!

    • chriskq on 28/01/2020 - 14:46
      +3

      how about unpaid forced leave?

      • whooah1979 on 28/01/2020 - 14:53
        +4

        Absolutely not. Employees that show up for work are entitled to get paid.

        • snook on 01/02/2020 - 23:21

          You don't get paid. You take leave. If you don't have leave, you don't get paid.

          Got a problem with that, sue China.

    • snook on 01/02/2020 - 23:26

      there is NO pay. You take leave. If you have no leave, you don't get paid. You can work from home if able. That is all.

      Why does everyone think they'll get paid? They won't. It's not your workplace's issue where they went on holidays.

      • X35rgfF45 on 02/02/2020 - 08:49
        +1

        Because people need money to live.

        If your company has shitty policies on sick leave and narcissistic leadership then people are going to come to work even if they feel a bit sick or aren't 100% sure if they are infectious or not. Suddenly 1/3 of a department has it.

        If the company wants people to actually take time off, then their culture and policies should reflect that.

  • geek001 on 28/01/2020 - 11:55
    +6

    Just to put this hysteria thing in context, the mortality rate of contracting the Wuhan Coronavirus is around 5% which is around twice as deadly as normal flu. Adults over the age of 65, young children and adults with pre-existing conditions will need to take care as the people who have died from the virus so far fall into this category.

    If you just came back from China and work with the people in the above category, it would be very prudent to quarantine yourself, even if you feel fine. You may survive if you get the virus, the people under your care may not.

    • HighAndDry on 28/01/2020 - 12:15
      +10

      Plus the long incubation period. You might be a healthy adult, all your coworkers might be healthy adults, and no one in the workplace might be vulnerable… but any one of these people might have vulnerable people at home: young minds, elderly parents, etc - and by the time symptoms show in a person it may well be too late already.

      • BertieBrown on 28/01/2020 - 13:05
        +3

        I think highanddry you’ve hit on something here, if we’re not sure if people are going to carriers and this thing has a much longer asymptomatic infection period, we could be looking at a much larger issue.

        If you wanted to design the perfect killing virus, you make it as infectious as possible, with a long period of transfer between hosts where there is little to no symptoms, and a mortality rate of 70% so that even if people don’t keel over they can still spread it as far as possible.

        I think with SARS the bloody stuff could live on hard surfaces for up to 7 days or so, which again made it that much harder to control.

        • humdingaling on 28/01/2020 - 14:00
          +3

          isnt that how you win @ Plague inc?

          • BertieBrown on 28/01/2020 - 20:02

            @humdingaling: I think it probably could be. I’m not sure, but apparently since the virus has been getting more media attention that game is getting more and more downloads.

    • Cluster on 28/01/2020 - 12:24
      +6

      "Just to put this hysteria thing in context, the mortality rate of contracting the Wuhan Coronavirus is around 5% which is around twice as deadly as normal flu."

      2019-nCoV is only twice as deadly as normal flu? No.

      https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html

      Taking the largest numbers available in the 2010 to now period, 45 million cases, 61,000 deaths. That's a fatality rate of 0.14%. 5% is 35 times greater than 0.14%.

      • ATangk on 28/01/2020 - 14:02
        +1

        Vaccines exist, so this treatment options exist too.

      • angilinwago on 02/02/2020 - 15:31

        good for you to be able to do simple math and enlighten everyone with your grand discovery, if only cdc could figure it out themselves and put the figure there in their report, but no, they didn't, some health statistics are more complicated than simple math.
        the official WHO mortality of common flu is 1%, and Wuhan coronavirus is about 2.4% so far. likely to be lower due to under-reported infected population (people who isolate themselves at home and get better themselves just like common flu), so the real figure is likely to be 1-2%.
        anyhow, this shit-show is way way overblown.
        250,000 to 500,000 people die from common flu each year worldwide and no one gives a damn, coronavirus kills 200 people, suddenly it's the end of the world, give me a (profanity) break.

    • BertieBrown on 28/01/2020 - 12:55
      +2

      They think, though it’s hard to know for certain, that Spanish Flu may have been as high as 10%.

      But when you compare 5% with something like Ebola that’s probably around 30% for healthy people in first world countries it’s not as horrific.

      The issue is that any Influenza tends to knock people for six for a good week, or more, which is a problem because if you’ve got half the work force down and out it could lead to real societal slow down. Which is why they really try and clamp down on it, more so, I think, rather than the potential mortality rate.

      • ThadtheChad on 30/01/2020 - 08:56
        +1

        Also… full-blown influenza is absolutely debilitating. I contracted this last year over a long weekend so couldn't see a GP for about 5 days. It took 10 days for the fker to get out of my system naturally.

        My wife got it from me and went through a course of tamiflu. She was down for about 5 days.

        I wouldn't be so cavalier about this, it really does a number and I really really wouldnt want to experience this again.

    • NigerianGirthLord on 29/01/2020 - 13:32
      +2

      the mortality rate of contracting the Wuhan Coronavirus is around 5%

      Where did you get 5% from?

      All up to date sources; 1, 2, 3, 4 have confirmed around 6,000 cases of nCoV in China with 132 disease associated deaths.

      • 132/6000 = ~2.2% mortality rate

      Everything else you've said is solid advice, but I hate it when fear mongering/incorrect information is used.

      mortality rate of contracting

      Morbidity rate = disease cases
      Mortality rate = disease associated deaths

      • geek001 on 29/01/2020 - 13:54

        The 5% was the number from earlier reports. Thanks for taking the time to revise the number, I am sure all of us are hoping this number keeps going down, as people start recovering from contracting the virus.

        Totally not fear mongering, I was hoping it would have the opposite effect as I compared it to the flu, not SARS, which was a lot worse. I guess I failed there.

    • snook on 01/02/2020 - 23:47

      and if you survive the virus there is a high chance you will have damaged lungs for the rest of your life.

  • jelko on 28/01/2020 - 12:12
    +6

    A private school in WA (which starts today) has asked any student who has traveled to China to stay home for 10 days.

  • whooah1979 on 28/01/2020 - 12:18
    +4

    she left from the office

    Aussies would love to spend a few days or a week going to the beach as long as they get paid.

    • WillKillfor5Cents on 29/01/2020 - 17:54
      +1

      exactly my thought. As long as the person is allowed to use his/her sick leave, then bloody oath! Or at least allowed a work from home arrangement (if possible).

      It would be a shame if the person is forced to use his/her annual leave.

  • JimmyF on 28/01/2020 - 12:28
    +6

    Is It Ethical to Ask Someone Who Just Came Back from China Recently to Not Come to Work/School?

    If you replace China with someone recently been exposed to measles or smallpox, would you feel the same way?

    • worrierwan on 28/01/2020 - 13:10
      +3

      Except you don't know if she was actually exposed to the virus, only a country that has it

      It would be more appropriate for company heads to dictate this policy rather than the individuals. The concerned individuals should reach out to the higher heads instead

      • JimmyF on 28/01/2020 - 13:34
        +4

        Except you don't know if she was actually exposed to the virus, only a country that has it

        The entire country of China is now well documented in having cases in all areas of the country and cases are growing daily. With a incubation period of 10-14 days, and being contagious during the incubation period with no signs of infection. This is a high risk issue.

        There is a reason China has locked down 60M people. Hint Australia only has 25M people. So the risk must be high if China is doing this and it is. Each person can be infecting other people for 2 weeks before signs appear, which in turn they infect more people and so on.

        Its not racist to ask someone who has been to a high risk country and/or maybe been exposed to a high risk issue like this to stay home for a weeks to ensure they have no signs of infection.

        I would feel the same way if it was New Zealand for example. So many people think this is 'china' bashing thing and being racist to China. No its called controlling a outbreak.

        Latest numbers are that the Coronavirus has killed 106 people and infected 4,000 globally, which is double what it was 24-48 hours ago. What will it be in another 48 hours?

        • Taro Milk Tea on 28/01/2020 - 13:41
          +3

          Latest numbers are that the Coronavirus has killed 106 people and infected 4,000 globally, which is double what it was 24-48 hours ago. What will it be in another 48 hours?

          You can't surely believe this is the real number? I doubt it highly

          • ATangk on 28/01/2020 - 14:04

            @Taro Milk Tea: By globally he means 99% of those are in China, with most being based in Wuhan.

          • jelko on 28/01/2020 - 14:53

            @Taro Milk Tea: Do you think the actual numbers are higher?

            • DarwinBoy on 28/01/2020 - 15:05
              +7

              @jelko: China down played their last pandemic so no reason to think they are being totally open this time either.
              The Chinese government will do what's in its best interest. Not the world's.

              • JimmyF on 28/01/2020 - 15:26
                +5

                @DarwinBoy:

                China down played their last pandemic so no reason to think they are being totally open this time either. The Chinese government will do what's in its best interest. Not the world's.

                Spot on, the response to this pandemic is what is alarming me the most. 60M locked down during chinese new year, the biggest event of the year for them, would be like Australia cancelling Christmas, New Year and Australia day all at once, plus building 2200+ bed hospitals in a matter of weeks, mean they think it is the big one. Yes 2200 beds is a drop in the ocean for them, but still.

                Kinda agree with them, with a incubation period of 10-14 days, and being contagious during the incubation period with no signs of infection. This one is going to be hard to stop or slow down, unless you lock down cities.

                China is now only starting to see the infection rates climbing, all these people had been infected weeks ago, how many have those people infected during that time, who are in the incubation period?

                Give Australia a few weeks and we will be starting to see these cases rise, as all those incubation periods will be over, and people start showing signs of being sick. Again, how many that they infected going about their day?

          • JimmyF on 28/01/2020 - 15:19
            +3

            @Taro Milk Tea:

            You can't surely believe this is the real number? I doubt it highly

            Based on China locking down 60M people during chinese new year, thats correct I believe that number is grossly under reported. You don't lock down 60M people during the biggest holiday period of year for China without reason.

            You also don't build 1000 bed hospital and another 1200 bed one, for no reason at all.

            Things don't add up.

        • worrierwan on 28/01/2020 - 18:53

          The entire country of China is now well documented in having cases in all areas of the country and cases are growing daily. With a incubation period of 10-14 days, and being contagious during the incubation period with no signs of infection. This is a high risk issue.

          We have people in Australia who have been infected and are at hospitals. Are you going to trace all these people's movements and say that if they were in a shopping centre, quarantine everyone that was near this person at the shopping centre? and then after that, quarantine everyone that came into contact with the secondary carrier? And then quarantine those people and so on and so on, until the whole of Australia is in lock down and not working. Might as well lock down the whole of Australia because were all doomed.

          You have to be logical, rather than be consumed with fear and understand where this worker has been within China. At the stage of infection that the person travelled in China, it would be highly unlikely that they were infected.

          Its honestly crazy how the world responds to a situation completely disproprotionatly when the media is involved.

          Its not racist

          Nobody in this thread is alluding to anything about racism? The person could be white and have gone on holidays.

          Latest numbers are that the Coronavirus has killed 106 people and infected 4,000 globally, which is double what it was 24-48 hours ago. What will it be in another 48 hours?

          You should use the stats for when the person was in China to base your argument. The person wasn't there when there were 4000 cases.

          • JimmyF on 28/01/2020 - 19:25
            +1

            @worrierwan:

            You should use the stats for when the person was in China to base your argument. The person wasn't there when there were 4000 cases.

            Why? Its now 4400 cases, up 10% from when I wrote that comment earlier today. 48 hours ago it was less than 2000 cases. See how fast this is growing? Its a 2 week 'lag' from people showing signs and from when they had been infected.

            So it doesn't matter how many people had been infected when the person was there, with the two week lag, we could see 40k new cases tomorrow. Its how many people are infected and don't know it, spreading it around.

            We have people in Australia who have been infected and are at hospitals. Are you going to trace all these people's movements and say that if they were in a shopping centre, quarantine everyone that was near this person at the shopping centre? and then after that, quarantine everyone that came into contact with the secondary carrier?

            If its growing and becoming widespread, then yes, Australia will need to follow China and

            the whole of Australia is in lock down

            Bingo, or people who are high risk aka been in China in the last month, stay at home until given the all clear. Not really that hard is it? Do what is needed for the greater good vs maybe spreading it around.

          • JimmyF on 29/01/2020 - 14:51
            +1

            @worrierwan:

            You should use the stats for when the person was in China to base your argument. The person wasn't there when there were 4000 cases.

            and as I said

            Why? Its now 4400 cases, up 10% from when I wrote that comment earlier today. 48 hours ago it was less than 2000 cases. See how fast this is growing?

            cough cough so 20 hours after writing this, its now 5600 cases.

            • worrierwan on 29/01/2020 - 18:30

              @JimmyF:

              So it doesn't matter how many people had been infected when the person was there, with the two week lag, we could see 40k new cases tomorrow. Its how many people are infected and don't know it, spreading it around.

              Spread of the virus when asymptomatic has yet to be clearly established in adults as China has not released its data on how they came to this conclusion.
              http://theconversation.com/how-contagious-is-the-wuhan-coron…
              The only established asymptomatic spread is in children. Further, the WHO also argues it remains unclear

              cough cough so 20 hours after writing this, its now 5600 cases.

              The person wasnt in China when there were that many cases? As time goes on, the more people will be infected because thats how a virus with an R0>1 is, but that doesnt mean the worker can become retroactively infected, just because more people are infected.

              Also take a look at this map to see where people are infected. Knowing if this person travelled within Hubei/Wuhan is a very important factor, because that is where a large majority of infections have been found, including all 4 people who were infected within Australia. If this person visited an area that has 10 infections.. and this is the number a week after they return… well then its basic fearmongering.

              • JimmyF on 29/01/2020 - 19:44

                @worrierwan:

                Spread of the virus when asymptomatic has yet to be clearly established in adults as China has not released its data on how they came to this conclusion.

                Do the details really matter at this stage? We have documented cases of human to human transfer outside of china and clearly its happening inside china as well. This is enough to make some decisions on.

                The person wasnt in China when there were that many cases? As time goes on, the more people will be infected

                You're missing the point and guessing don't understand how these things work, if 6000 people have come forward and been confirmed today, these people had been infected about ~7-14 days ago, so thats at least 6000 people walking around for a week infecting other people, give it 7-14 days and they'll all be coming forward too.

                9 days ago China was reporting 278 cases confirmed. So either that 278 people have been really busy spreading it around infecting a extra 5800 people or there are way more cases out there not picked up yet they don't know about it or are just suffering at home because the hospitals are already full and overflowing.

                Knowing if this person travelled within Hubei/Wuhan is a very important factor, because that is where a large majority of infections have been found

                All areas of china are infected, the numbers are growing rapidly. 9 days ago it was only 278 people, why bother worrying about it? Whoops today its 6000 tomorrow, 8000 or 10,000? Who knows.

  • whooah1979 on 28/01/2020 - 12:29
    -5

    her peers asking her to leave the office immediately

    Her co-workers sounds like goose. Sensible people would ask if she is feeling ok and if she has been a GP after coming back.

  • JTTheMan on 28/01/2020 - 12:34
    +3

    Public Health is ethical - full stop

    • [Deactivated] on 29/01/2020 - 17:12
      +1

      Sounds good, doesn't make any sense though

      • JTTheMan on 29/01/2020 - 17:19

        If a virus spreads throughout the community and kills people then the person who was initially infected and ignored isolation precautions is responsible. Similar to antivaxers etc.

        It more than sounds good, it makes total logical sense!

        • [Deactivated] on 29/01/2020 - 17:22
          +3

          This is just straw man drivel. That or your comprehension skills are alarmingly low.

          Employees can't take the law into their own hands and hound someone out of work. That's not a subjective opinion, it's a fact. If they personally feel the risk is too great and they don't agree with company policy then they should stay at home and raise their concerns through the appropriate channels

  • Fysh on 28/01/2020 - 12:46
    +4

    the problem with this is that the virus is spreading without symptoms. Compare that to SARS where it was only contageous while people were sick. If they have been in a risk zone then they should take it upon themselves to quarantine for 14 days. Its not so much about where they have been its been stuck in a tin can with just one other person who has wiped their face then the door handle of the toilet.

    • abb on 28/01/2020 - 16:48

      the problem with this is that the virus is spreading without symptoms

      Citation please? I have only heard of transmission while symptomatic.

  • CyberMurning on 28/01/2020 - 12:46
    +4

    yeah tell them to stay at home, but dont forget give full salary.
    win win

  • Diesmile on 28/01/2020 - 12:50

    the thing is， Does your friend gets full pay, though

  • BertieBrown on 28/01/2020 - 12:50
    +1

    I would say probably not. Mainly because it’s not certain that they’re going to be a carrier, or infected. I think it’s reasonable to ask someone who’s just come back from China who is feeling unwell, or looks visibly unwell to go home, I don’t see that would be out of order, but a blanket ban I think is too much.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 28/01/2020 - 12:52
    +5

    Peers should have taken it up with the employer. Nothing wrong with the employer giving an employee some paid gardening leave.

  • MS Paint on 28/01/2020 - 12:58
    +2

    It's not about ethics it's about just plain old common sense.

    • dcash on 28/01/2020 - 21:37

      Sadly that's something severely lacking in society today.

  • askme69 on 28/01/2020 - 13:01
    +2

    Yes tell them to leave.

    In my office, people would bitch etc if someone turned up with a little cough or cold and tell them they should be home and not spreading the sickness. Just because they don't have sick days left etc.

  • tamckinnon on 28/01/2020 - 13:03
    +9

    Our work has just issued a statement around this.

    In short if you've traveled in a area where a virus was active, you're to remain away from the office (work remotely) until incubation period is over.

    We also do the same for measles/flu/other and are actively encouraged to not come to work when sick.

  • PissLUR on 28/01/2020 - 13:04

    i consider that to be workplace bullying. would the peers do that if she is the superior?

  • [Deactivated] on 28/01/2020 - 13:06
    +4

    It's unAustralian…not to take the sickie!

  • pogichinoy on 28/01/2020 - 13:13

    That's a shit go

  • [Deactivated] on 28/01/2020 - 13:20
    +3

    OK to ask the person to stay at home for a period. Probably should take it up with HR and not act as a mob. Company should take the welfare of everyone into consideration. Perhaps offer the person support and alternative arrangements to work from home. Have effective open communication within the company. This is where good HR departments will shine.

  • tempura on 28/01/2020 - 13:27
    -1

    i have a trip shortly that i need to make to Westmead hospital; should I be worried?

    in all honesty, why did they let the flights from Wuhan come? how many flights have arrived directly from Wuhan to Australia ever since the virus is declared?

    • Taro Milk Tea on 28/01/2020 - 13:43

      i have a trip shortly that i need to make to Westmead hospital; should I be worried?

      Err.. what's with Westmead Hospital?

      • tempura on 28/01/2020 - 13:44
        +5

        errrrr … read the news

      • luffyex2010 on 28/01/2020 - 13:46
        +1

        Mostly affected / confirmed cases at having treatment at Westmead at the moment I think…

    • luffyex2010 on 28/01/2020 - 13:59

      Wear a p2/n95 mask and apply their 3M hospital grade hand sanitizer ( green/pink/ clear)

      You gotta try them all~~~

      Goggles too if you are super paranoid.

      • ATangk on 28/01/2020 - 14:05

        Hazmat suit anyone?

      • tempura on 28/01/2020 - 21:56
        +1

        their pink ones smells so good; have you smell it?

    • JTTheMan on 28/01/2020 - 15:11
      +2

      They are in isolation. That is the beauty of accurate diagnosis.

    • CocaKoala on 28/01/2020 - 17:49
      +1

      The affected patients have been quarantined, but avoid that trip if you could. I'm not sure why you've been negged for that comment.

  • try2bhelpful on 28/01/2020 - 13:40
    +1

    If the company wants to extend my holiday by giving me sick leave then happy days. However, a lot of businesses would ask people to work from home, if possible. You can achieve a lot through remote meetings etc.

  • luffyex2010 on 28/01/2020 - 13:45
    +6

    It's ok to tell them to have paid leave staying/working at/from home for 1 or 2 weeks.

    Just need to polite and no need to be rude about it. I don't think they will get offended too with the extra holidays.

    Now I am not sure to send my kids to school tomorrow or extend their holidays for another week. Some Chinese are quite stubborn, selfish and ignorant when it comes to simple instructions to follow given by the health ministry.

    Sigh what a year to begin with.

    • tempura on 28/01/2020 - 13:49

      i assume your kids are in the school where most are from that country?

      • luffyex2010 on 28/01/2020 - 13:55
        +2

        Wherever there is a good school, especially the Chinese/Asian will be there…

        • tempura on 28/01/2020 - 13:56

          but i share your sentiments

          Some Chinese are quite stubborn, selfish and ignorant when it comes to simple instructions to follow given by the health ministry.

        • Taro Milk Tea on 28/01/2020 - 13:57
          +2

          Wherever there is a good school, especially the Chinese/Asian will be there…

          HAHAHA very much true

  • Taro Milk Tea on 28/01/2020 - 13:50
    +2

    Ok apparently I just chatted with my mate again, he said his colleague was given a temporary laptop and forced to work from home for a week.

    Obviously the company did not really force her..but he said he can see the pressures given to her.

    This is very sad, but also at the same time, it's the decision the company has to take given all of these uncertainties.

    • tempura on 28/01/2020 - 13:54

      how this colleague of his takes it?

      • Taro Milk Tea on 28/01/2020 - 13:56

        He said she was pissed and there were quite some debates in the office. lol

        • tempura on 28/01/2020 - 13:57
          +10

          why would she be pissed? i seriously don't understand …

          • Taro Milk Tea on 28/01/2020 - 13:58

            @tempura: I guess it's more about her pride? I don't know much too

            • Save 50 Cent on 28/01/2020 - 16:06
              +7

              @Taro Milk Tea: What does pride have to do with anything? It isn’t like they’re accusing her of an STD. I’d be thanking them for making me work from home and request for that arrangement to be extended for a month just in case.

              • Taro Milk Tea on 28/01/2020 - 16:14

                @Save 50 Cent: Well imagine its your first day coming back from work and suddenly one of your colleague greeting you by: "why are you here?? You should be at home!"

                • Gareth on 28/01/2020 - 16:51
                  +2

                  @Taro Milk Tea: Sounds good to me. Unfortunately, nobody has ever kept me from coming to work… have to rely on Lotto for hope :-)

              • bargain huntress on 01/02/2020 - 20:23

                @Save 50 Cent: @Ridiculous Panda

                What does pride have to do with anything? It isn’t like they’re accusing her of an STD. I’d be thanking them for making me work from home and request for that arrangement to be extended for a month just in case.

                I am also confused by this reaction. I have seen it before.

                One thought I've had is that they interpret it as a judgement of their personal hygiene?

            • taoz on 28/01/2020 - 20:04
              +2

              @Taro Milk Tea: pride? surely you Dont go to work if you have any kind of risk in the first place.
              Careless and thoughtless going to work.
              Im not sure of a workplace where people wouldn't ask you to leave

              • tempura on 28/01/2020 - 21:59
                -1

                @taoz: in saying that, some folks particularly Asians have that tendency to not want to disappoint their fellow colleagues and mostly their managers.

                • Taro Milk Tea on 29/01/2020 - 08:56

                  @tempura:

                  in saying that, some folks particularly Asians have that tendency to not want to disappoint their fellow colleagues and mostly their managers

                  I have a white friend who never want to miss work and disappoint his manager…

                • taoz on 31/01/2020 - 13:05

                  @tempura: Could be true of anyone really.
                  However, if that's the case, so there happy to risk there colleagues health?!
                  Selfish really

    • ClintonL on 28/01/2020 - 14:01
      +2

      If they're getting paid to work from home i don't see much of an issue.

  • dufflover on 28/01/2020 - 13:50
    +2

    I'd be asking is it ethical (since there are plenty of legal-but-not-ethical things) for a person who came back from China to go to work in the first place?

    It'd be like the goose we occasionally have here who goes to work even they clearly have some kind of serious cold or flu (like over 3 days, hoarse voice, constant coughing, etc.)

  • AliensStoleMyMoney on 28/01/2020 - 13:53
    +2

    if she still gets paid without taking up any of her leave i think its fine

    edit saw your post.

    working from homes fine.

    some one from work has to work from home but is getting an bonus due to the inconvenience/mess around of the situation hes in good spirits though

  • Ryanek on 28/01/2020 - 13:58
    +16

    Grabs popcorn hand sanitiser

  • CheepAsChips on 28/01/2020 - 14:19
    +1

    Taro Milk Tea:
    Given the extent of media coverage etc, one has to wonder…..what steps a person takes & why, before returning to work.
    Phoning employer before returning to work would have been sensible.
    Reasonable post, I expect your management are on top of this issue.

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