At some point this year governments, businesses, and school systems decided the pandemic was over and we could “return to normal.” They dropped mask mandates as soon as the CDC relented to pressure from political leadership eager to get the controversial mitigation strategy off voter minds as the mid-term elections approaches.
Call me cynical, but it has been hard to grasp why else the CDC changed how it measured Covid risk levels? The agency went from monitoring viral spread and positive lab tests to assessing hospital admission and capacity rates, a much less reliable and more misleading indicator. Many people were confused. But elected officials and local businesses rejoiced as their counties went from red to green on the CDC’s Covid risk map.
Ah, but that was last March. It’s August. That was sooooo looooong ago, whines some rando American with a gnat’s memory span. The BA.5 variant comes along to remind us that evolution doesn’t stop for our convenience; that which doesn’t kill it only makes it stronger. More workers and students are being pressured to return to their workplaces and campuses, yet managers and administrations are lifting masking and vaccine requirements. People are being encouraged to attend mass events, get on airplanes (with no masking required by court order FFS), and fill restaurants and grocery stores without any precautions. In the last two months I have seen so many of good friends — all well vaccinated, science believing, and masking people who had avoided the virus for over two years — come down with a case of covid. Fortunately, vaccinations had mitigated the severity of their cases. But research on Long Covid is still in its early stages, even if millions of people who suffer from it have been sidelined from the workforce and society.
Before anyone chimes in with “Fauci doesn’t lead the CDC anymore, that’s Walensky” — I know. I don’t care. I was tempted to do something on Walensky’s casual eugenicist attitude, but Fauci is everyone’s favorite bobblehead toy these days. I get the appeal. But he’s my scapegoat today.
Indeed. After letting my guard down and eschewing the mask in public – BANG – My whole family tested positive within the space of six days. I tested negative on a Friday; by Sunday I has flu-like symptom and tested positive. (The wife & daughter had gone down first.)
I contacted HR Monday morning and was told that I could legitimately stay home for 5 days, but would need to submit an affidavit per NY state DOH requirements.
After spending 16 hours a day in bed that week, I retested positive again Sunday Night. HR’s response on Monday morning was that was meaningless, as “you can test positive for 90 days.” If I didn’t have a fever (the only “acceptable” symptom) I was to report to work.
Business uber alles, I guess.
Ugh. That sucks. I’m glad you’re doing better. I’m sorry HR was predictably callous. I think the best counter strategy is if you still test positive, tell them you still have a fever.