Coronavirus

Another hit at work today, this time in the building where I would work if I was still coming in.

A coworker that I know well, her project of about 40 people is being required to come in because their manager was concerned they couldn't stay on schedule remotely. She and another woman (that I know as well but worked with less) both tested positive.

Two weeks ago, that is. The staff was alerted, again, via the news media. There were confirmed cases two weeks ago and we weren't informed. Worse, the woman that contracted it indicated that she wasn't contact-traced short of "who were you near without a mask for more than fifteen minutes?"

Now, I had zero exposure to either of these people. So in theory, I don't need to be informed. But management looks like they can't find their ass with both hands when we find out about this in the news media instead of through official channels. The "we're so proud of you" email is due in a few minutes if they stay on schedule but other than that we're all out of the loop. Even worse the response from the agency spokesman to the media outlet sure makes it look like they didn't know either. “The health and safety of our staff and customers will continue to be our main focus as we navigate these challenging times,” They could put that on the answering machine.

Our school board is having a meeting this evening to discuss reopening schools. Haven't seen any plans from them either.

I just want somebody in management to give the impression that they know how to manage a project, and that they recognize that dealing with COVID-19 warrants being deemed a project. They all have PMP after their names, it's time to crack open their PMBOKs and actually use it.

The Boston Marathon, usually held in April, has already announced best case it is postponed til Fall 2021.

Ouch.

In theory, everybody at my workplace wears a mask, except for a couple of special cases with health issues who are able to work from home. The reality routinely falls short, at least at our Minnesota location. Our Pennsylvania location wasn't wearing masks at all until we hired a new site manager last month.

In the office, the custom is that you don't need to wear a mask if you are sitting alone in your office, but you should put on a mask whenever you leave your office. If somebody visits your office and stays for more than a couple of minutes, you put the mask on.

People in the shipping department are good about wearing their masks while they are working, but they all take their masks off for breaks. I can understand that it's unrealistic to wear a mask while smoking outside, but I hate seeing them sitting and eating in close proximity in the break room without masks.

People in the production department often work in a warm, humid environment, so they are often seen with their masks around their necks. It's not terrible since they often work alone, and they are more likely to mask up while working together in the assembly area that has a more reasonable temperature. They are just as bad as the shipping team during breaks.

As far as I know, we have had only three people in the whole company test positive so far, out of 120 total in our four locations.

It may sound like I am obsessed with mask wearing, but I do find it ridiculous when I see people driving with a mask on, even though there is nobody else in the vehicle. Especially since it's already cold out in Minnesota, so everybody has their windows up while driving.

I'm not sure what about this thread has inspired me to de-lurk but here goes.

I was formerly squigherder here, I had a little spat with Michael Barnes and quit the site. I participated in a lot of math trades and occasional forum stuff in the past. My real name is Bart Miller in Sioux City, Iowa, you may have received a package from me in the past, I know I've bought a few things from people, particularly Michael Barnes. I decided I liked Michaels game reviews more than I was irritated with him and we resolved our issue in private messages and he welcomed me back with open arms and no hard feelings as I remember. I've been lurking about fatefully reading but not contributing for a year or two. I'm hoping to leave that behind and talk about how covid has affected my game group and family.

but anyways coronavirus. and begin ramble.

When it all broke out it was right around time for our local game gathering. 250-400ish people depending on the year in a convention center. I dont remember if it was scheduled for march or april this year but right in there. I am the former organiser/treasurer for 15 years, but not in the last 4-5 years. I am in pretty close contact with the guys who took over, it was a friendly shift of power, time for new ideas, I was getting burned out and all that. they chatted me up a tiny bit about cancelling the event, I told them I felt it was prudent and appropriate and I would publicly support it. So they cancelled, not necessarily because of my permission but with my support.

I am a school teacher. around this time our school went full remote learning. for my small group I host the sunday night game gatherings at my house for gaming each week from 5:00 to when we crack, most of us work Monday mornings.

I decided , based on what was prudent and safe to halt our game gatherings for the time being until we saw how serious things were going to get. Also my employer was keeping me on paid status with full pay, I felt like my end of that deal was to do what I could reasonably do to only necessary shopping and stay home. I am kind of a GW fanatic I have lots of stuff to do and a ten year old at home who loves nintendo games and playing them with me and skirmish miniatures, we have plenty to do and we also go fishing and target shoot which is just me and him.

We talked about re starting our Wow accounts and playing together on Sunday nights, or maybe dungeons and dragons online, or continuing our dnd campaign via a tabletop simulator

So my game group, well 3 out of the 5 of the most regular started being really shitty about me not hosting games weekly. They said it was "Bart's little quarantine" and incessantly mocked me for not hosting gaming in our group chat until I left it. And were treating it as a tyrannical move on my part. I am under pressures from my wife, and I have two older kids who had been sent home from college as well so a household of five that I try to have my wife have an equal say in what happens, she supported not having gaming for a few weeks while we see how things shake down, we were in total agreement on it.

Well one of the conservative 3 who think its the phony flu decided to host an alternate con at his house the weekend of the previous game convention. I was invited and I respectfully declined , and I said your wife is a nurse by four weeks from now I bet she shuts that down anyways, aside from the fact he's never hosted much gaming ever before why start now? and I was staying home so I would be safe and healthy if my work started back up.

they decided to start a GW Warcry campaign (I'm a Gw fanatic remember!) and hide it from the two of us wo thought taking a break was a good idea. now they are fully allowed to play any game they want, and if they want to meet and play war cry while I'm choosing to stay home that's certainly their right. but when grown men you've been friends with for years start a secret facebook group and do some 'mean girls" bullshit behind your back, it's just incredibly disappointing. I love Gw stuff, I would like to see pictures of their campaign, and pick out a warband and get mine painted and all the things you do when you're a miniatures gamer. so that when the quarantine rolls back I'd be ready to play, it takes me a while to paint minis among other things. We've played every Gw game together that has come down the pipeline for 25+ years btw. also I had been bugging them to try Warcry for about 8 months but nobody would play, until I honored quarantine concerns doing it behind my back became a priority

So fast forward "coronacon" got cancelled by the guys wife just like I said which I think only made him more bitter. they spent the next few months in their secret group making fun of me for being a big fraidy cat who was scared of the fake flu. at the time I was just trying to err on the side of caution, I hope for obvious reasons. In late march/april nobody really knew where this was all going.

We eventually tentatively started meeting again around September but lost one person who I've gamed with for 20+ years. We've had to not play a few times for various quarantine scares.

Our group will never be the same because they couldn't separate politics from virus concerns. the comments about masks and fake flu are relentless, they are just proud to ignore science. ever heard of the notorious us house of representative member Steve King, that's where I live, these are his loyal minions. And remember I had a political spat with Michael, I'm a bit conservative, but they are just not reasonable.

A couple of weeks ago I tested positive. I battled a 104 fever for about four days, followed by three days of abdomial cramps that were like mike tyson was coming into the room to punch me in the stomach every thrity seconds around the clock. somewhere in their the fluid started building up in my lungs and the explosive direaha for 10-12 days ripped something in my lower intestine and i'm shooting lots of blood constantly. I had to go to the hospital for breathing distress around day 10, where I was informed my ekg, blood tests and chest xray all suck but are par for the course for people who have it like me. I'm 49 and my only real health issue is obesity. 5'11 and 365 usually, but I'm down to about 345 right now due to the magical covid diet/dehydration program. I get to go home and suffer because they don't have beds for people like me , the hospital in my town of 125,00ish is a complete madhouse right now. I"m not particularly bitter about that it is what it is, there were people there older and worse off than me doctor says I'm young and mostly healthy enough I should have 3-10 more days of suffering, here's some lung steroids and if you're breathing gets any worse at all get your butt back up here do not hesitate. He was adamant he was not turning his back on me come back if necessary so it's not as bad as it first sounds. I seem to be on the mend and they checked my intestine today and they think each day it will get a little better and i shouldn't have any ongoing problems.

While I was sick my wife also got it. and her sister who moved in with us because she lost her job due to covid problems, and she's semi disabled , 62, and has COPD , but luckily she didn't get very sick. My ten year old seems just fine. My wife works for the federal government and I'm a public school employee our money situation is pretty safe , we are very lucky that's not a concern and supporting her sister isn't a big deal but her health is frail it's great it only barely got her.

Sorry for the ramble, the real story is how it really has probably done irreparable damage to our game club and group of lifelong friends because of politics. I was going through the worse sickness of my life and getting messages like how is your kung flu going? or how is your phony flu going? and I was not seeing the humor. And I had to endure adult bullying and betrayal from people I have been friends with for years because I wanted to err on the side of caution.

the whole thing is so disappointing in humanity in general. when I was at the doctor today I am pretty sure the computer doesn't have my political party in it anywhere, the virus doesn't care. (I'm a registered independent, I swing a bit conservative I suppose that's obvious)

I got to learn a lot about my friends and which of my co-workers really care about me and show genuine concern and stepped up for me when I was down and my wife was a godsend. My boss has been very reasonable and I feel very supported by my personnel department. My biggest letdown is my close friends who should have been the people I could count on the most for support and at least something resembling humanity.

I suppose there's two sides to every story but that's my heartfelt honest version to the best of my ability.

finding out who your friends are and their true nature can be tough. I'll admit I'm far from a perfect person for the record.

I'm really sorry all that happened to you. Woof, the part about getting teasing messages while you're battling for your life is some really tough stuff.

I'm glad you're starting to come out the other side with respect to your health, sounds like a very scary experience.

Thanks Smeagol/Squigherder. I'm glad to hear you are on the road back to recovery and through the worst, I hope. Everything you are saying makes a lot of sense and I hope that in the end, your friends can see it that way; or you are able to move on without them. Such a drag.

I live in a pretty conservative area (Westlake Village, CA), mostly because everyone here is insanely wealthy, so while I see a lot of Trump signs and hear a lot of nonsense about AOC, folks still wear masks and don't grouse too loudly about that. I think that would make me crazy. I've already had words with a few local rabbis about their understanding of mask protocols if they want my kids at their events.

I haven't done SHIT for in-person gaming and it sucks. I was set to visit my brother when this all went down, kiboshed. Set to visit a friend in San Diego, kiboshed. Thank god we have six people in this house because I'd go nuts. I'm subscribed to MARVEL CHAMPIONS stuff at the local game store, doing my part, and that's been good, but there is a lot to just being around other people. I miss strangers.

We gotta get together sometime when we get out of this, Jeb. My two years of 20 hour a week drives has steeled me for a Southern-California-to-Northern-AZ-drive-for-fun.

That is a stunning story.

My gaming group had our annual weekend planned for the end of April, and I had informed the guy that organizes it that it really needed to be canceled. He brought another guy in on the conversation, a man in his early 70s that has worked for the Republican Party for years. He was all for continuing, assuming that everyone "would act responsibly" and not show up if they were sick. We picked a Go/No-Go date and agreed to shelve it until then, but I really had no intention of changing my opinion. I have five other people depending on me to stay healthy, and two 85 year olds in tow in different houses.

As it turned out Delaware locked down all rentals and the organizer was informed by the landlord that the reservation was canceled, all money returned.

My friends that I play with are almost all conservative Christians. I have no doubt that they'd be supportive if I got sick, and our disagreements over politics remain civil and well measured. Your friends clearly showed their stripes, and showed their immaturity when you put family and safety first. They should be thanking you for not playing with them during your infectious period. If they can't learn from the severity of your illness (and admit that they have) you need to reach out to new people and make new friends.

Hope you feel better!

Thanks for the kind comments, it has really been an awful experience. A couple times during the worst part I just wanted it all to end.

but I guess I delurked because I think there are aspects of this people here would understand about all this , with it being gamers and everything... that my wife wouldn't really care to discuss much.

I guess venting about it is part of my dealing with it, it's nice to have considerate listeners even though you barely know me or don't remember me from my active years here.

I hope everybody stays safe and don't let the covid fatigue get to you, double down on all your good habits, you won't regret it.

Let me chime in and say I really appreciate your story, Smeagol (I remember you as Squiqherder, too), so thanks for speaking up and I'm glad to know that it's helpful for you to vent here, as well. Hopefully, you'll both avoid the long-term effects, having already had a pretty torrid time with it, and be able to find some new gaming friends when we're all on the other side of this.

I have been increasingly frustrated at the growing number of maskless people I encounter when I go grocery shopping. Back before all of this, my store of choice was a regional chain called Meijer. I hate the shopping experience at Walmart. However, ever since coronavirus, Meijer's supply chain has not bounced back in the way that Walmart's has, which is not surprising due to Walmart's increased ability to apply pressure.

I went to Walmart at Monday, and was so floored by the number of maskless customers, AND the number of employees improperly wearing masks, that I felt it necessary to send an email to corporate. Below is my email and their "response."

ME:
Your Findlay, OH location along I-75 today had NUMEROUS customers with no masks whatsoever. In addition, many EMPLOYEES had their masks on incorrectly (noses exposed). If this is how little you care for my safety, I'll shop elsewhere.

THEM:
Hi Mark,

We are asking that all individuals wear a face covering while within our stores to provide a safe environment for our customers and associates. While we ask that every individual wear a face covering, we understand there are exceptions such as age, religious beliefs or health conditions. In addition, some individuals may refuse to wear a face covering even though we have made this request, offered face coverings for purchase, and have offered complimentary face coverings to individuals who do not want to purchase one.

Thank you for contacting Walmart where we are always happy to help!

---

The fact that they don't even address my mention of their own employees really set me off. I won't be going back. How sad is it that I was surprised they wrote me back at all?

With respect to all you yanks here of all political leanings but your country is a really fucked up place. I have been stunned for the past 7 months of the number of people, probably a high minority, who believe and have carried on to believe that this doesn't exist or that they shouldn't have to wear masks, social distance and keep hands clean - retards is all I can say about you guys.

Sure we have a very very very small number of people here in the UK who don't believe in lockdowns or even the virus but basically everyone does what they are told to protect themselves and their community - wear masks shopping, stay in your house, don't visit others. Sure we have people going out and being stupid and passing it on because they aren't thinking and that has started Wave 2 but they don't believe it doesn't exist just that they won't get it. And as regions are slowly being locked down at various levels due to Wave 2 people are only complaining about loss of income (fair enough) which the govt is doing something about, no it doesn't exist and why should you make me stay at home.
An this seems to be a similar behaviour in Europe where even stricter restrictions are coming in (I did see there were some large protests in Italy but that was about financial issues again) and probably in most countries around the world ... except for the 'special' people in the US.

Really - your country leaves me absolutely fucking amazed.

Cleek's Law is in full effect.