My easily WfH job has been getting more threatening about going into the office for a majority of the week. There had been some nudges previously, but most everyone had been ignoring it. Recently they announced a new policy that seemed more likely to have teeth to it.
So I started going into the office a few days a week, but just for about half the workday. My boss indicated this was fine. It seems like the point of the policy is to justify keeping the offices open or some other nonsense via forcing everyone to go in more often.
So this Friday, I went in for one of my obligatory days. There was only 4-5 people in the office, and only one coworker that sits adjacent to me. Everyone left by about 4pm, except my adjacent coworker. As I was preparing to leave after 5pm, went to use the bathroom before catching the bus home. When I came back to my desk, my coworker was completely asleep in their chair. I decided to not wake them since no one was around, and they had their middle school kid playing minecraft at one of the empty cubes nearby. My internal debate settled on just letting them get a nap if they needed it, since no one was around to get them in trouble over it.
Caught the bus home, and brought my n95 mask (that I had not worn at work), and wore it the entire long packed bus ride home. Had to walk about a mile from the bus stop to get home. I started to feel pretty exhausted from the day, and took about an hour long nap early Friday evening. Had a nice relaxed evening at home.
Saturday I felt pretty fine, went on a bike ride and short hike. But now, Sunday morning, I got an email from work saying my adjacent coworker has COVID. They started feeling tired Friday morning, and they were completely exhausted by the end of the day. So my sleeping coworker was coming down with the plague. Now I'm pretty worried I probably got it. I'm not feeling bad yet, but I'm very anxious about it. I don't want to spread it to partner or anyone else.
If I catch it, it will be the second time that I know of. I'm really hating this BS, and it's a real reminder that all this forcing things back to normal is totally insane.
Really hoping I got miraculously lucky and don't get it, but also feeling extra :doomer: as well. The at-home tests I have expired like 9 months ago.
Anyone know decent info on how likely I am to have been exposed? I don't recall my coworker coughing or sneezing at all if that means anything.
Taking some vitamins and supplements already, and waiting to see if any symptoms arise today.
Thanks for reading about my corner of :amerikkka: :agony-deep: .
ugh. parts of this felt like they were written by me in my mind.
i had this totally "should have been an email" meeting in late january. bullshit was 4 hours long and the bosses were insistant that all of us had to be there in person. the very next morning someone at the meeting fesses to having COVID which they got from hanging out with infected friends. this is the second meeting they have pulled an "oops, i did a covid" on everyone.
i've been WFH as much as i can get away with, but the pressure to return has been rearing its head more than ever this year. even though every time i come in, it's a ghost town and i get all my shit done easily from home. i'm like stupid productive and available to walk my team through all kinds of shit that the organization does not train them for, but asks them to do anyway and just throws them to the wolves. super dysfunctional org that has become a disaster with all the institutional knowledge that has walked out the door in the last 24 months.
i had planned on a strategic RTO move like you, where i came in early and did like half days. that way i could make meals at home, save bucks, and be around the office in the morning in case anybody there bothered to give a shit. but, as soon as i start that, my office workstation goes on the fritz requiring some replacement stuff. and the people who handle purchasing are critically understaffed with a shitload of new people, so the story has been "you'll be able to order this $150 item soon" for literally 6 weeks. so i've been WFH using my own equipment. everything is a clusterfuck all the time, i swear to god.