The Covid19 thread

[Annoyed]

All I know is that I'll be glad when we can stop wearing the darn things....cuz I know that despite what you think...there are people who have serious issues trying to breathe through a mask....I can manage if not pushing a load of carts but when pushing a load of carts I slip my mask down so I don't pass out from oxygen deprivation....it's also difficult wearing them when it's extraordinarily hot and humid outside

Heh. You know that the decision makers aren't trying to actually exist with the damned things, right? They're all in their air-conditioned ivory towers, in private offices where they don't have to wear the damned things or mingle with us poor slobs.

[VampyreWraith]

MAYBE on the argument that passing someone in a supermarket aisle is low risk (but still risky for older folks for whom this could be serious) but 8 hours in a cubicle farm or store? No way are those masks and distancing effective. Perhaps if everyone in the office had their own office with filtered air circulation, but in a farm? You're gonna get it.

Oh, and businesses following guidelines? Ha. Simple. employee gripes. Business fires employee. Business has lawyers, ex-employee doesn't. Game over. And remember, they don't have to tell you the real reason they are firing you. They could even fire you and tell you the reason is to lessen density to meet govt. recommendations.

If you're reporting a health and safety violation to the state or federal government, they don't notify your employer that "so and so reported you for a health violation" . They come in to check and if the place is found in violation, they get fined or whatever. They might have gone for "it's an employee gripe, nothing to see here" thing when money wasn't involved, but if the government can slap a fine on someplace for breaking safety rules, I'm sure they'll want to give it a look. If there's an actual issue and the company tries firing the person who made the complaint because they somehow found out who it was, that person would have whistle-blower protections.

And honestly I don't know what kind of shady places you've worked for, but every place I've worked for needs to give a reason for firing you, with documentation to support it. At my current job, we had a store associate on the phone with HR filing complaints against 2 managers for various things (she was an actual employee with a gripe, she was lazy and constantly socializing instead of working and was constantly complaining about not getting hours so she'd call HR). No one fired her, everyone knew she was calling HR to complain to try to get the managers she blamed for not giving her hours fired. She eventually quit when she didn't get her way, but no one fired her. The only people we've fired, we've fired for constantly not calling and not showing up to work, and even after they've done that multiple times, they get a few written warnings before actually being fired (and someone got fired once for stealing too). Most places don't want to fire people, especially lower level employees, because then they have to waste time and money training new people.

The company I work for is really going all in on the health and safety stuff, I'm sure they care about the health of their employees and customers (I mean they want employees to come back to work and customers to feel comfortable shopping) but I really think that a lot of it is that they don't want to get fined and/or shutdown. They know it's a possibility, we've been told by people in corporate that there are people out there checking for violations (especially before and during phase 1) and to make sure all employees are social distancing and wearing masks and they we have health and safety signs up. I'm in a store for 9 hrs (8 hr shift + 1 hr meal). It's not a big store, we're very strict with the social distancing and mask wearing among employees, we don't force customers to wear masks, but if they come in not wearing one, we do offer one to them. We've got a hand sanitizer station in front of the door that customers walk in and out of, and a bottle of hand sanitizer at every register at checkout (one for the cashier, one for the customer), we have to clean after every customer at checkout, we have to clean the whole store at the beginning and end of every day. Anyone on register has to wear gloves. If a customer wants our help, we have to tell them that they need to step back 6ft. We have face shields available for any employee that wants to wear one. We're only allowed to have a certain number of customers in the store, everyone else has to wait outside until someone leaves.

The social distancing and mask wearing works if everyone does it. People can't stay home forever. They even had a study a while ago that the people getting sick weren't the people going to work, but the people who were staying home. People going to work take more precautions because they have to, they people staying home might feel like they're being safe, even if they aren't, and they might have too much time on their hands and are getting restless and careless.

OH, I tried the mask on with my glasses this morning in the car while I was waiting to go in. My glasses don't fog. If you're glasses are fogging and the mask doesn't have the wire up top, try to get your glasses to sit on top of the mask, that might help. If you've got smaller glasses and a bigger face, it might be a bit tricky though.

[mad_gater]

If you're reporting a health and safety violation to the state or federal government, they don't notify your employer that "so and so reported you for a health violation" . They come in to check and if the place is found in violation, they get fined or whatever. They might have gone for "it's an employee gripe, nothing to see here" thing when money wasn't involved, but if the government can slap a fine on someplace for breaking safety rules, I'm sure they'll want to give it a look. If there's an actual issue and the company tries firing the person who made the complaint because they somehow found out who it was, that person would have whistle-blower protections.

And honestly I don't know what kind of shady places you've worked for, but every place I've worked for needs to give a reason for firing you, with documentation to support it. At my current job, we had a store associate on the phone with HR filing complaints against 2 managers for various things (she was an actual employee with a gripe, she was lazy and constantly socializing instead of working and was constantly complaining about not getting hours so she'd call HR). No one fired her, everyone knew she was calling HR to complain to try to get the managers she blamed for not giving her hours fired. She eventually quit when she didn't get her way, but no one fired her. The only people we've fired, we've fired for constantly not calling and not showing up to work, and even after they've done that multiple times, they get a few written warnings before actually being fired (and someone got fired once for stealing too). Most places don't want to fire people, especially lower level employees, because then they have to waste time and money training new people.

The company I work for is really going all in on the health and safety stuff, I'm sure they care about the health of their employees and customers (I mean they want employees to come back to work and customers to feel comfortable shopping) but I really think that a lot of it is that they don't want to get fined and/or shutdown. They know it's a possibility, we've been told by people in corporate that there are people out there checking for violations (especially before and during phase 1) and to make sure all employees are social distancing and wearing masks and they we have health and safety signs up. I'm in a store for 9 hrs (8 hr shift + 1 hr meal). It's not a big store, we're very strict with the social distancing and mask wearing among employees, we don't force customers to wear masks, but if they come in not wearing one, we do offer one to them. We've got a hand sanitizer station in front of the door that customers walk in and out of, and a bottle of hand sanitizer at every register at checkout (one for the cashier, one for the customer), we have to clean after every customer at checkout, we have to clean the whole store at the beginning and end of every day. Anyone on register has to wear gloves. If a customer wants our help, we have to tell them that they need to step back 6ft. We have face shields available for any employee that wants to wear one. We're only allowed to have a certain number of customers in the store, everyone else has to wait outside until someone leaves.

The social distancing and mask wearing works if everyone does it. People can't stay home forever. They even had a study a while ago that the people getting sick weren't the people going to work, but the people who were staying home. People going to work take more precautions because they have to, they people staying home might feel like they're being safe, even if they aren't, and they might have too much time on their hands and are getting restless and careless.

OH, I tried the mask on with my glasses this morning in the car while I was waiting to go in. My glasses don't fog. If you're glasses are fogging and the mask doesn't have the wire up top, try to get your glasses to sit on top of the mask, that might help. If you've got smaller glasses and a bigger face, it might be a bit tricky though.

as far as I know NY state is an at-will employment state, meaning that, barring any sort of union protection, employers really don't need a reason to fire you, at least as I understand the concept of "at-will employment"

[Annoyed]

And honestly I don't know what kind of shady places you've worked for, but every place I've worked for needs to give a reason for firing you, with documentation to support it. At my current job, we had a store associate on the phone with HR filing complaints against 2 managers for various things (she was an actual employee with a gripe, she was lazy and constantly socializing instead of working and was constantly complaining about not getting hours so she'd call HR). No one fired her, everyone knew she was calling HR to complain to try to get the managers she blamed for not giving her hours fired. She eventually quit when she didn't get her way, but no one fired her. The only people we've fired, we've fired for constantly not calling and not showing up to work, and even after they've done that multiple times, they get a few written warnings before actually being fired (and someone got fired once for stealing too). Most places don't want to fire people, especially lower level employees, because then they have to waste time and money training new people.

In my life, I've been let go to make room for one of the boss's new hotties, for inquiring about men and women not being treated equally, for having to take time off for corrective surgery after an injury, because the company had to meet some quota, for refusing to work overtime for straight time pay, and a few other less than legitimate reasons.

The systems have been corrupt for decades. Like it or not, he who has the gold makes the rules. Companies can pay their lawyers to do their bidding, while the peon (me) has to focus on putting food on the table.

OH, I tried the mask on with my glasses this morning in the car while I was waiting to go in. My glasses don't fog. If you're glasses are fogging and the mask doesn't have the wire up top, try to get your glasses to sit on top of the mask, that might help. If you've got smaller glasses and a bigger face, it might be a bit tricky though.

Cars have air conditioning fans and such that keeps air moving around a good bit. Try it walking around a crowded store where it's too damned hot to begin with. But yeah, shape of face might be a factor too.

[epg20]

did something stupid today, let the person delivering my groceries come and put the groceries on the table, don't think she was contagious, but will know in about 3 weeks, I hope I was right, I just saw her with her hands full and thought she should put them on the table, it is what the other person who used to deliver my groceries used to do, until she retired, literally , she decided to stop delivering groceries and retires, I am guessing she was in her 70's or so, her husband owned the store and when died she let her son take over and she wanted a part of the store, so she thought she would deliver groceries from her store and did so for a while, did a pretty good business, the would deliver all over the place and even out to the beach , no short trip too, no small price either, it was something like 10 dollars a mile past a certain point, for others it was like 5 dollars total if you were a shut in or were sick cancer treatments ect or injured.

[epg20]

made a mask of my own, just took a piece of pants leg off of an old pair of sweat pants, trimmed up one side to fit my head, added a piece of cloth to it and there you go, you may need to adjust it for your nose, but that is easy enough to fix, just cut off your nose and it will fit fine. just pull it over your head and go simple. just wish I had remembered it earlier.

[mad_gater]

In my life, I've been let go to make room for one of the boss's new hotties, for inquiring about men and women not being treated equally, for having to take time off for corrective surgery after an injury, because the company had to meet some quota, for refusing to work overtime for straight time pay, and a few other less than legitimate reasons.

The systems have been corrupt for decades. Like it or not, he who has the gold makes the rules. Companies can pay their lawyers to do their bidding, while the peon (me) has to focus on putting food on the table.



Cars have air conditioning fans and such that keeps air moving around a good bit. Try it walking around a crowded store where it's too damned hot to begin with. But yeah, shape of face might be a factor too.

is it wrong that with your "In my life..." bit I read it in Peter Jurasik's Londo Mollari persona?

[Falcon Horus]

All I know is that I'll be glad when we can stop wearing the darn things....cuz I know that despite what you think...there are people who have serious issues trying to breathe through a mask....I can manage if not pushing a load of carts but when pushing a load of carts I slip my mask down so I don't pass out from oxygen deprivation....it's also difficult wearing them when it's extraordinarily hot and humid outside

It's fairly simple, if you can't guarantee a safe distance of 6ft, you wear the mask.
In any other case, you could leave it.

Those are the guidelines we were given.

And yes, it's constricting and damn unpleasant when it's hot (personal experience).
Also, I already have a hard time reading people's faces so with half of it gone -- I'm lost.

Also, it makes it hard to understand people, especially when they mumble their way through a conversation.

If you're glasses are fogging and the mask doesn't have the wire up top, try to get your glasses to sit on top of the mask, that might help. If you've got smaller glasses and a bigger face, it might be a bit tricky though.

Tried that but my glasses are not big enough for make it work.

[Annoyed]

is it wrong that with your "In my life..." bit I read it in Peter Jurasik's Londo Mollari persona?

Don't ask me, I had to google the guy. I never got into B5.

[mad_gater]

Don't ask me, I had to google the guy. I never got into B5.

then you sir....are a heathen

seriously though....a much better storyline than any of the modern Trek series nowadays :/

[Annoyed]

No, we're not rushing to re-open too soon... Nope, nothing to see here, move along.

Texas and Florida restrict businesses to slow Covid-19 spread


Rising infections in younger people fuel California’s new coronavirus spike


Pregnant women with coronavirus more likely to be hospitalized, CDC warns

[mad_gater]

No, we're not rushing to re-open too soon... Nope, nothing to see here, move along.

Texas and Florida restrict businesses to slow Covid-19 spread


Rising infections in younger people fuel California’s new coronavirus spike


Pregnant women with coronavirus more likely to be hospitalized, CDC warns

on the other hand though if we keep restricting everybody I'm thinking herd immunity is never gonna set in.....you'd have to keep people locked up forever like this

[Annoyed]

on the other hand though if we keep restricting everybody I'm thinking herd immunity is never gonna set in.....you'd have to keep people locked up forever like this

There is a growing list of folks who face serious health risks, including permanent disability or death. Forcing those people back into their cubicle farms and such while waiting for herd immunity is gross disregard for their lives. Once we have a fix, so that all the social distancing/masks and such are not recommended, we can open without putting their hides at risk.

[Falcon Horus]

It was facemask galore this weekend for me, and I'm getting better and better at wearing it. I even managed to wear one for almost an hour without my glasses getting all fogged up even once.

I do still need practice since today I unfortunately failed at the not-fogging once more.

[Annoyed]

It was facemask galore this weekend for me, and I'm getting better and better at wearing it. I even managed to wear one for almost an hour without my glasses getting all fogged up even once.

I do still need practice since today I unfortunately failed at the not-fogging once more.

I think fogging is extremely dependent upon ambient temperature / humidity levels. In a properly air conditioned environment, it's not a problem. But very few places push the temperature down into the low 60's range.