'Stay home if you're ill' says a large majority in our poll

We asked: “Should more be done to encourage people to stay at home when they are ill?”

Of 550 people who had voted via Facebook at the time of writing, 85% said yes, 15% said no.

Olwen Foggon said: “Yes, after years of experience working and not wanting to let others down even when unwell. You’re no more though of for doing it, so my advice is take good care of yourself first.”

Viki Clough agreed, but said: “Yes. But where I work you get put on warnings so people do go in when they’re ill.”

Karen Lynch said: “I used to work in local authority where one of the directors used to encourage her staff to use annual leave when they were sick. So her department had a low sickness record. Really bad management! Who would want to waste their holidays being sick?”

Glen Telfer said: “I used to hate people who thought thought they were being a real ‘trooper’ by coming into work with a cold/flu/chest infection.”

Shelley Darby thinks: “With viruses and bugs like norovirus, the time has come to see it as infection control instead of a sick day!”

Abbey Davison said: “Do not spread your germs to the rest of the work force that means more people off sick.”