Oh my word. Today I chatted with a colleague who is head of governors at a local school. As he was talking about the school, he said, "we're struggling to keep up, so many staff are off sick now, I don't think we're ever going to get over covid". But...

My jaw dropped, because he's obviously not trying to actually do anything to get over covid, so I asked him what he meant.

He said that ever since teachers had to isolate, they're more keen to stay off work when they're sick.

I happen to know that their receptionist had a stroke straight after they were ill with Covid, and was off work for ages because of it.

She now works part time.

And that one of their teachers is now disabled by Long Covid. She doesn't work there now.

I don't know about any of the others.

Sometimes I just nod and listen, but today I said, "no, they're sick more because Covid infections make people more vulnerable to other health conditions. It's just science. That's the way it always is when someone gets a covid infection."

He clammed up and looked like he couldn't breathe.

He spotted someone else he knew and went off to talk to them, to someone who will tell him what he wants to hear rather than the truth.

Another bridge burnt. 😥