OT sort of - H1N1 Question Help!

OK so one of the guys that I with with, he is in my department. Comes in today with fever, body aches, chills, headache, congestion, cough - all the fun flu symptoms. So when we get our checks the woman asks him if he has a cold - his reply - No it's the flu my kids, my wife, all my kids' friends (that he spent the entire weekend with) have H1N1. So he also tells her that with H1N1 the fever is always above 104 and that the regular flu is below. I haven't heard this and don't trust him as far as I can reach. Is this true????? I have an OB appt tomorrow to get the H1N1 vaccine and now I'm afraid it is too late. My immune system is already fighting something off (sinus infection I think).

I am doing the usual extra hand washing, extra fluids, spraying everything he touches with Lysol, quarantining him to his area, he isn't permitted to cross the threshold of my office.

Any advice?? Thanks Ladies!

Not true at all. He needs to get his nasty ass home ASAP!!

Thanks!! I thought that he was wrong (he usually is!)

I am going to spray lysol on his tongue.

I will definately mention this to my OB tomorrow!

Thanks again Tiffany!

He needs to get the hell out of the workplace NOW. Tell your boss either he leaves or you leave. End of story. What a dumb ass.... (not you, the guy)

From what I understand, H1N1 manifests in 3-4 hours of being transmitted... so if you came in contact with the virus this morning, you'd have a fever by the afternoon. I am very anti-hype and have done only a minimal amount of reading into what the media has turned into mass hysteria... so my "facts" may be bunk. I don't recall where I read the above little bit of info but it doesn't seem impossible.

Seriously... what an idiot... people like this make me sick. My office's policy is SUPER strict.... probably about as strict as an elementary school if not worse. If you have a fever, you're going home. If you even so much as mention one of your kids has pink eye and your allergies have your eyes glassy and/or slightly irritated, you're going home. Even if you just have a few flu symptoms but no fever, you're still encouraged to go home. If someone was walking around talking about how they and their entire family had H1N1, they'd be tossed out the door immediately.

Hopefully the idiot didn't infect your entire workplace. Get him out of there!! 

Umm that sounds like misinformation on his part! I would tell your supervisor and have him sent home! That is insane that he came into work like that!! I would be sooo mad!

Ps - Unfortunatly per my OB the flu is transmitted thru the air and not thru touching things like door knobs, sink handles, etc... so it's really hard to prevent the spread.

-Ashlie

Liz-
Good luck.  If it helps any, my boss got the H1N1 and I had spent the two days prior with him at a conference; I got the vaccine the day I found out he was confirmed and I managed not to get it; and I was glad I got it when I did, three other people in the office got it the very end of the same week. 

Best of luck on this one....Stacey

eww.... why do people come to work sick? i dont get it

IDK about the incubation period, but I do know that your co-worker's stupidity warrants further action. He should be sent home immediately and wouldn't the CDC like to know about the ass who's purposely infecting others?! Maybe not, but I think a taser would work better than Lysol. Good grief, what is wrong with people?!

Sorry you have to deal with this, but definitely don't allow him to continue exposing you or others.

Hugs,

unfortunately the owner knows and took no action. I have the doors open and airing everything out - I am so mad I could spit nails!!! I think I'll sneak outside and call the OB now - maybe I shouldn't go out and be loud and brazen about it!

This guy is just stupid and inconsiderate!

Thanks for the advice ladies!

Liz

He sounds like a dumbass! I would have flipped out, people are so stupid, to put everyone else at risk like that. I hope you are able to avoid it!