Coronavirus/Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[JaneAusten]

Tell that to those who work in the healthcare industry, specifically hospital workers. Some folks really don't get it.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Exactly what I was saying!

And it's not only that, it's anyone who has to go into a filled hospital for any reason, COVID or not. Accident victims, heart attacks, gunshot or knife wounds, domestic and sexual violence victims, etc. How do those people get seen in a timely way in a hospital that is damn near filled to capacity? A nurse mentioned finding a woman crying in a corner because she needed medical attention, had been waiting for over 8 hours, yet hadn't been seen.

What would someone say to her? Oh, it's "f*CK you because folks gotta party on NYE?" 

If folks had shown some goddamn discipline in the early going, we wouldn't still be living this bullsh*t. 

You know what they do in Japan? They wear masks, they wash their hands, they keep proper social distance.

And whining folks, let's not pretend this is China, where they throw your as$ in jail if you leave your apartment without permission. Or Russia, where a positive test means a stay in a hospital or locked into a kind of "Hotel California".

Get a grip, folks.

 

[victoria foxton]

 

  

 

  

 

  

[victoria foxton]

 

  

[Cat]

Exactly. China has also now resorted to parading Covid 'rule-breakers' in the streets in a way reminiscent of the bad old days of Cultural Revolution public punishment:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/30/chinese-police-parade-suspected-covid-rule-breakers-through-streets

 

Having been to Japan, I can confirm that their lower numbers are not rocket science. Everyone wears a mask in public spaces and at work -- everybody. It is a small price to pay in order to go out freely, live a normal life and keep transmission down. Masks are not perfect, and Japan will see an Omicron surge, no doubt, but masks do significantly reduce the risk of spreading this disease, as does hand washing and social distancing (as you point out). There is nothing political about masks either -- over there, it is all about not passing germs onto your neighbour and reducing your ability to catch some viruses, too. That's a win-win. 

Which is why the no-mask mandates that came into force in the US and UK earlier this year were such a mistake, IMO. By making masks seem like a 'special sacrifice' or 'hardship,' we have now made sure that less people will want to wear one again when a new surge calls for it.

Edited December 30, 2021 by Cat

[DramatistDreamer]

Another thing that's admirable about how Japan is handling the pandemic response now is that for the past year, they have been redesigning and retrofitting homes to be more anti-viral. Putting a discreetly located hand washing station near the front door, making natural air filtration a more prominent feature. Companies like the Japanese sportswear maker have made improvements to the fit and feel of face masks.  This are even examining their metro and other public spaces to see what improvements can be made to mitigate virus spread.

That, is learning how to live with something. The U.S. is not taking any genuine measures to live with a virus. 

EDT. Uniqlo is the name of the sportswear company. I forgot to mention their name.

[Cat]

Absolutely. I would love to learn more and do more about air-filtration and air systems necessary in workplaces and at home -- but it's hard if you don't work for a company with pots of money and which wants to spend time on a new ventilation system.

And I feel like Japan and South Korea have really good options for disposable face masks which I find hard to get in the West (too bad none of these masks are recyclable 

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 ). See pic below from South Korea. The mask is designed to fit snuggly over the bridge of the nose and the chin so they have less of these mask-wearing messiness we see elsewhere (masks slipping down over half the face, etc).

[DramatistDreamer]

Even though I don't eat meat, this bothers me. But hey, life goes on, I guess.

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People here seem to take exception to even opening a window. And an unacceptable amount of schools and municipal builds, and public buildings were designed with windows that don't even open, or few windows at all.

Not smart.

[Khan]

I feel like many in the U.S. have just thrown up their metaphorical hands and said, "You know what?  [!@#$%^&*] it.  If we die, we die."

[JaneAusten]

Oh and don't forget how complicit the media has been with their "no matter what you do it doesn't matter" attitude despite the fact that it's likely hundreds of thousands of lives that have been saved. Maybe more.

[victoria foxton]

 

 

[DramatistDreamer]

[victoria foxton]

 

  

[victoria foxton]

 

  

[Taoboi]

Now that I have some 'wiggle' room.

 

So I have mentioned that my December work schedule is a fresh level of hell every year. And this was no different in my postal job. This year in my hospitality job there has been a lot of turnover. Which included the 'heart' of the group, the person who hired me and kept the place going. I worried how things would fall apart without. Without the right hand person in most of my jobs I've been in, that always end bad. 

 

So my hell started on last week when I walked into work and found out that they fired the back night crew pre-Xmas. Rather than communicate this, the back supervisor decided to go home early rather than form a plan for that. I reckon that those without a restaurant background or knowledge of how holiday work have no idea how hectic, busy, and entitled things/people can be. However, one of the things I like to drill into people is foresight is your friend. Meaning one has to anticipate situations and plan accordingly. Just in case.

 

There was NONE of that this week. And if I had not point out X-mas Eve, my immediate supervisor would have been working alone. None of my upper management apparently wanted to work, but yet did not staff at all. I don't know where their head was at, but did not care. This past weekend was not good. And then no back staff??

 

Then I found out 1) the head of the company was leaving for a promotion and 2) my other immediate supervisor got a co-vid scare. 

 

AND my management wanted him to STILL work.

 

...

 

I heard the response to his worry was 'can't live in fear.' ??? As for him, I've worked with him enough and we are the same zodiac sign and I am also observant enough to see he was freaking out. As I am sure I mentioned here, I NEVER had any real downtime from covid due to one of my jobs being an essential worker (which is why me taking time off in October was a BIG DEAL but I digress) so I cannot believe to tell you the amount of covid scares I had when California attempt to reopen. I tried to keep him calm, and give suggestions since there are plenty of places to go...or even get covid tests (apparently the library here gives them away for free). But I did not like how my upper management did not see at all concerned. Especially the head, sending out an email about how we kinda expected to have a moment. Oh ready? 

 

While this was going on, one of my other supervisor (a new hire) was going about his day coughing an awful lot. That gave me pause. Thankfully for long stretches of time, my part of my job is one that involves me being by myself there. Still...that made me go hmmm. So when I went on my break, I decided to check out news reports over new developments on Omicron and Delta. Just in case given what had just happened.

 

I had to give out breaks. And while the night crew was going on their breaks, it got busy as it tended to. And this supervisor...kept getting on everyone's computer's but his own. I side-eyed since he had been coughing and given what my other supervisor just found out. I at least lysoled off my section. I also basically warned my co-workers that perhaps it would be best if when they came back from break if they did the same with their own desk.

 

Not surprising for me...decades in customer service...my observant skills (and writer skills) were on point.

 

It turned out he got covid.

 

As did a good amount of the day crew.

 

...

 

So if I had not strongly recommended that to the night crew, they might have it, too? I myself as I've mentioned got both shots and recently took my boostered shot since my essential job required I made time to do so. I was mad at the time since my December work schedule gives me no time, but I was thankfully a few days ago that I did because of this. However this job I do not think everyone has been allowed to get their boosters yet.

 

My immediate supervisor was extremely angry (as was I) because she lives with her family and that includes grandparents so she was worried about that. And the response for upper management was apathy. Yeeeah no. Oh top of that, there was the aforementioned firings so night time is extremely short staffed and back daytime I have found (and called out) are inefficient, too busy trying to scapegoat their own shortcomings...one of which is not communicating. 

 

On top of this, there is a covid guest in house. ...yeah, a note was at least left for that, but I do not like no one communicated that fact more efficiently. Perhaps my upper management need to lead how to shorthand or use code (I found out I was right when my immediate supervisor told me in front of people by using code words. I got it. I had to try to not be livid). 

 

So...the hell of my past week.

 

PS. The supervisor I was worried about...turned out to be negative. 

 

My story being a case in point. 

 

I can't. 

@Cat and @DramatistDreamer thank you for the info re: Japan. As I sat waiting to get a NYE haircut, it gave some comfort while at the same time made the last week inexcusable.