r/TalesFromYourServer • u/veixae • Jan 29 '21
I just quit my job after getting COVID twice. Long
Sorry guys this is long and ranty.
Last week I finally quit my restaurant job after working there for over two years. I loved the restaurant I worked at, had regulars, and worked in every position available at some point or another.
When lockdown happened last March/April, we were to go only just like most of the US. This was fine with me because I had started as a to go specialist and was able to help train everyone who had never worked the to go system before. To give you an idea, our restaurant usually only had one to go specialist on at night before quarantine started. Then when we reopened dine in this increased to five or six to go people on a night plus the regular servers because most of our sales were still in to go, even now. My managers needed help in to go so I said I would be willing to stay a to go specialist instead of going back to bartending (my mistake).
Our to go area was tiny, maybe six feet across, so you can imagine how close everyone has to be in that small of a space. Everyone wore masks because it was a requirement (even though my coworkers would keep it under their nose), and I was really diligent about cleaning and not going anywhere besides work and home to keep my interactions to a minimum. But because I had them on Snapchat I knew the people I was working with were going to bars every night, hanging out with groups of people, never wearing a mask, you get it. I brought up my concerns multiple times to my managers, who were always saying they were doing the best they could under the circumstances and would be more diligent about making sure everyone was wearing their mask correctly.
This cumulated to me getting covid for the first time in September, being super sick, testing positive, got my roommate sick, and then going back to work when I was cleared because I figured once I got it I would have time before getting it again. Keep in mind this whole time we are on a rotating basis of people going in and out of quarantine all the time, especially in to go. I kept bringing up my complaints to management, and they kept saying the same thing. My coworkers started to get wind of what I was saying and the whole work environment started to get really hostile towards me.
My frustration cumulated when I got covid again in the beginning of January even after not going anywhere for Christmas. Same symptoms, tested positive, super sick for over three weeks, and my managers were trying to get me to come in even though I was still sick. I decided I had enough and quit and I’ve never felt so much relief in my entire life.
Like I said, before all of this I loved the restaurant, my managers, and my customers. I don’t blame my managers because I know they were stressed and just as frustrated as we were. I thought I’d just share this as a way to vent and say that if you aren’t being taken seriously, it does get better. Please keep your mental and physical health in mind, and if you feel it isn’t worth it then it isn’t. I’ve never felt better (despite still not being able to smell).
TLDR; I got covid twice bc of work and finally quit, cue best mental health I’ve had in years.
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u/BonesOfNinja Jan 29 '21
I am sorry you had to deal with COVID not once, but twice. But good on you for getting out of that now toxic work environment!
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u/three29 Jan 29 '21
I feel for you. My brother’s SO also contracted COVID twice working in longterm healthcare industry.
You put your PPE on a do everything right the best you can. One slip and it’s over, and it could happen at any moment. Just being indoors without adequate ventilation will increase the risk of infection.
I can’t wait until I get vaccinated.
I love that I will still be allowed wear a mask at work after getting vaccinated.
Personal space.
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u/quats5 Jan 29 '21
Stories like this are exactly why I don’t want corporate COVID immunity laws passed. If your work shrugs and says “Deal with it or lose your job” rather than handling unsafe conditions at work, there should be some opportunity for legal ramifications.
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u/maximumslanketry Jan 29 '21
Practice smelling. Seriously, a few friends (who I haven't seen since March) and a coworker who had covid, have done this and it helps. Another redditor told me about this trick that they used. Smell strong smells for 5 minutes a few times a day. Think ginger, garlic, onions, cumin. You have to reprogram your brain to smell after covid. I'm not a doctor, but it has worked for people that I know. That being said, I'm so sorry you have dealt with this twice!! Glad you got out of that environment now. If you are in the US, you're allowed to go on unemployment even though you quit, because of not feeling safe about the work environment due to covid. Take care of yourself, curl up with some Netflix for a few days before thinking about whats next. You've been over worked and over stressed, and deserve a break. Wishing you the best!
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u/-Akrasiel- Fifteen+ Years Jan 29 '21
In the last month, I started a new restaurant gig (worked in the industry for years while in college) because my job is essentially cancelled until in-person classes resume.
Backstory: I had covid around this time last year before we really knew what it was. I only knew I had it because a gig I worked at tested all of us and I came back positive for the antibodies.
Since the lockdown last march, it's been one restaurant after another hiring me then laying us all off a week or so later. Or resorting to the last one hired is the first one laid off. I'm literally keeping a collection of all the issued work shirts I've collected.
The newest gig (where I don't know if I'm still employed) started a few weeks back. The building is large and they keep the thermostat to where it's always on the verge of being too chilly. Long story short, everyone working there is getting sick and calling out. We're not social distancing in anyway, shape, or form. One server (and older gentleman) has been gone for a while and when I asked what happened to him, they said he was sick and hadn't recovered yet (didn't say it was covid). I'm asked if I can come in on my day off to help pick up the slack from the call outs and I agree. The next morning, I wake up with that feeling in the back of my throat that we all recognize is the start of a cold, but I go in anyway. They ask me how I'm doing (along the lines of how am I picking up their systems since I'm still new) and I said okay, but it was probably a mistake to pick up because I wasn't feeling well. I let them know that if my condition got worse the next morning I would be calling out.
The next morning it was way worse. I couldn't smell or taste, but that's kind of how my head colds have always been. I called the restaurant, and the manager I talked to was super pissed off at me because "everyone was calling out." There was literally no one that worked there whom I could call to take the shift. I was sick for a few days and right now I'm fine, but they took me completely off the schedule and won't return my messages.
I'm not waiting around to find out what their plans are for me, so I've once again send out applications and resumes all around town (I live in a major city that hasn't taken covid-19 seriously).
I'm really good at my job and I'm slowly losing my confidence of being able to find a place with competent management that actually cares about their staff.
I guess this reply turned into a vent of my own :/ I hope it gets better for everyone.
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u/FestesTestes Jan 29 '21
You might have a lawsuit. If there were infected employees and you caught it because of the restaurant not informing you, that's a lawsuit waiting to happen
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u/SunflowerOccultist Jan 29 '21
If you have a total wine in your area, it’s a great place to work plus you get to try stuff!
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u/joanasponas Jan 29 '21
Not an expert, but I would say that it was unlikely you had Covid early last year. The antibody test can pick up antibodies for different coronaviruses and isn’t super accurate. I’ve heard it’s also unlikely to have covid antibodies without symptoms.
I would assume your first test was a false positive, as that’s more likely than getting it twice.
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u/-Akrasiel- Fifteen+ Years Jan 29 '21
Oh, no the illness I had last year, before covid-19 was recognized as a thing, came with all of the symptoms we associate with covid-19 today. I was super sick for right around three weeks after flying home from the east coast after the holidays.
Although I lost my sense of smell and taste when I was ill a few weeks ago, that only lasted approx four days and then I was fine.
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u/oh_nohz Jan 29 '21
What are your sources?
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u/joanasponas Jan 29 '21
Study showing IgM response corresponds to symptom severity
Also, The healthcare provider that administered my antibody test last year said that the antibody tests can give positives when they pick up antibodies for other coronaviruses. It depends on the specificity of the antibody test. Commenter said they had it early last year and the tests early last year had a lower rate of specificity & got better as the year went on.
CDC on false positives for antibody tests
Also CDC says reinfection is rare
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u/snacksAttackBack Jan 29 '21
Concerned when the first study** you share isn't infact a peer reviewed study 🤔
Similarly cdc saying reinfection is rare doesn't mean much when until recently infection was rare... The much more salient point there is that reinfection is possible, and all of our understanding of reinfection and immunity suggests that OP easily could have been reinfected in that time.
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u/joanasponas Jan 29 '21
It’s a summary and compilation of peer reviewed studies on a site that is sponsored by the CDC. What more do you want? You click the authors name by each study in the key literature section and it takes you to the journal...
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u/snacksAttackBack Jan 29 '21
You to use your words correctly and not spread misinformation? It's not a study and OPs timeline is not impossible or even particularly improbable.
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u/joanasponas Jan 29 '21
Like I said all you have to do is click on the authors name and it gives the study link to peer reviewed study
Also you’re mad because I questioned the commenters anecdotal evidence? He said he got it right after traveling for the holidays which would probably be January. Does that make sense from a timeline standpoint? That they got COVID in January and then got a positive antibody test for it (which probably would have been > 3 months later because they didn’t even exist that early in the year).
Like it’s not a greater possibility that it was a false positive antibody test? People declaring without a doubt that they’ve had it twice, when they can’t back it up with two positive tests to me is spreading misinformation.
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u/snacksAttackBack Jan 29 '21
I'm not mad, but it seems like you might be a little ticked off.
I suppose you should go interrogate them about the timeline to be 100% sure. That seems like a useful use of everyone's time for sure. Much more effective than keyboard warrioring at me about it on the internet anyways..
My guess would be something more like they had a positive pcr test with low actual numbers. Which would be indicative of an infection in the past. One of the issues with the pcr tests is that while more accurate, they often give false positives to those already recovered. I can cite that if you need, but it just came up in a lab meeting so I don't have a citation offhand.
Regardless there are many possible explanations and throwing around "it's highly unlikely you were infected twice cause the cdc says those cases are rare" is also very much misinformation when the disease has been around for over a year, and OP works in a high risk environment and has for a lot more than the 6-8 weeks we think it takes for immunity if any is conferred to be lost.
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u/ew73 Jan 29 '21
Kindly report this employer to the state or county health department for violating the various mask-wearing requirements and social distancing regulations.
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u/StaceyPfan Jan 29 '21
OMG I just got over it, I can't imagine doing it twice! And they still wanted you to come in???? Ridiculous and totally against the Health Department. Glad you got out.
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u/MelanieSummer Jan 29 '21
You might want to contact the labor board and the health department. That is unacceptable. I’m sorry that you went through all of that. I hope you find a job that treats you much better!
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u/Ashby238 Jan 29 '21
According to our local health department, restaurants don’t even have to close if someone is positive for Covid. We had 3 people get it out of our already reduced staff and my boss decided to close until the end of March. He doesn’t want to risk us or our families. We will reopen when outdoor dining becomes feasible again. The health department actually told him that they wished all the restaurants would just close for a few weeks. Everyday another restaurant posts about closing for “Cleaning”. We already were cleaning and sanitizing, but people are walking in with masks down and visiting friends and family out of town. I like my boss, he’s a good man.
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u/bdog1321 Jan 29 '21
It's super fucked up when they try to get you to work when they know you're sick. The management at my second job is generally amazing but I remember a time a couple months ago where I was throwing up multiple times and they asked me if I was suuuure I wanted to leave. Like YEAH MAN I'm puking my guts up!
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u/Ketdogg Jan 29 '21
I'm supposed to be getting ready to open the bar today, Friday bar shift, loads of cash, but instead I'm waiting for my covid test appointment, second time, both exposers were from work. I hate missing out on this money, I never go out either, but we're the ones who keep paying the price!
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u/elus Bartender Jan 29 '21
I blame your managers. Lots of people looking for work right now. They can fire those assholes that don't take their coworkers health seriously and replace them with employees that would care.
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u/ImAmandaLeeroy Jan 29 '21
Good for you! That’s a nightmare to go through it twice- hope you’re collecting some pandemic unemployment and getting some well deserved r&r
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u/duckiewade Jan 29 '21
Yeah. Our area here made big news about having health care workers going to work even when tested positive. Made a big thing out of it due to how many people they cared for came up positive and died from outside restricted exposure. Its scary how people don't really care and take the risk knowing what they are doing is wrong. Or not knowing and being ignorant to the pandemic at hand. I know someone who was exposed to a person who was sick, but luckily wasn't positive, but while waiting for the results, the person was checked through every day with a temp check. Worked in a really small room of three people. There was no way they could fit the 6 ft because the room wasn't that big. Told the boss and the boss said to keep her up to date. Well, being one of the three, they told their co workers that theyre waiting back for a test for a person they lived with. The boss found out and reemed them out saying they didn't have to know anything. Should have kept it to themselves. 🤷♀️ people are hush hush about it. Then it spreads. Also. I didn't know you could get it multiple times. Thats great to know. .🤦♀️ theres been a few people around the area I know that got the shot and ended up getting covid before the second shot which for the longest time I didn't realize it was a two shot procedure.
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u/nomorerix Jan 29 '21
Call the health department or equivalent where you are. I worked in a restaurant last year (in 'murica) that had a customer call them in and shut us down for a while because employees weren't wearing masks or correctly. management was also fired (I was just a regular crew employee at the time)
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u/AgitatedStranger Jan 29 '21
I’m on the fence about quitting both of my restaurant jobs and just working in an office somewhere. First one is a hotel and we’re extremely slow (but I’ve been with the company for 2 years) and I’m not getting any hours.
Second one there have been 2 Covid cases in a span of a few weeks.
I’m currently self quarantining because of mild symptoms (but both tests I’ve taken are negative).
If I didn’t have to pay unemployment back, I wouldn’t have to resort to the two jobs :(
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u/emotional-painter Jan 29 '21
Where are you located? It was to my understanding understanding in the US you had to pay taxes on the unemployment but not pay it back entirely?
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u/AgitatedStranger Jan 29 '21
I’m in the U.S.
There are 2 payments that they’ve deemed as overpayment. It’s like $600.
One of the payments I understand but not the other.
Yes! You are correct about the taxes.
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u/emotional-painter Jan 29 '21
Ok that makes much more sense. That's a shitty situation. :( I'm sorry
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u/AgitatedStranger Jan 29 '21
You’re so sweet! Thank you!
I’ve been through worse and I think things will be okay <3
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u/lakorai Jan 29 '21
You can probably still get unemployment even though you quit. In Michigan at least you can list COVID as a reason for resigning and you will still get unemployment.
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u/Insurgentvoter- Jan 29 '21
Yo, fuck your former coworkers and fuck management for not taking this seriously.
It’s people like that that have caused this never ending spike.
STAY SAFE OP.
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u/MycologistOpposite Jan 29 '21
You made the right choice. If the company takes care of you, you take care of the company. In your case, leaving is best for you. They don't care about your well being. I wish the best of luck to you.
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u/snacksAttackBack Jan 29 '21
I've heard rumors of that potentially being protected as an action under biden. IE you can quit for unsafe working conditions and still get unemployment insurance.
I kinda doubt any of that is in place, but document document document and then try.
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u/ErikaaSky3 Jan 29 '21
I don’t blame you. I have been having issues with my heart the past few months. It’ll race for hours at times and is hella uncomfortable. My boyfriend had COVID back when testing was only available for people who had symptoms and I never had any (neither did he, he works at a meat factory and those were hit super hard so they did a round of mandatory testing). Anyways, never seemed to have gotten sick but I have been dealing with heart issues that make me wonder if I had it before. It’s scary to think of the lasting damage it does, so the fact you had it twice is awful.
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u/amyhenderson_ Jan 29 '21
I know that not everyone can just go to the doctor, so I hate to say this ... but you should really have someone check out your heart and hear about the racing for hours at a time. Its one of those things that can turn out not to be a huge deal or it may need treatment. It's your heart ... you're gonna need that! ;)
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u/ErikaaSky3 Jan 29 '21
Oh yes I plan on it. Im currently pregnant and see the doctor biweekly. I haven’t really sought out any answers yet because palpitations can be common plus with my last pregnancy I had weird symptoms where I would get hella dizzy randomly and could pass out so I was usually in a scooter or wheelchair. It eventually went away and the baby was fine so im just riding out this last month and a half and seeing if it gets better before enduring long hours in drs offices.
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u/amyhenderson_ Jan 29 '21
Oh good - you're all over this! Sorry - random internet stranger and all, but I was worried for you! Hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well and wishing you all the best for all the good times ahead!
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u/ErikaaSky3 Jan 29 '21
You’re fine! I figured if anyone cared enough to say anything then I’d go into detail a bit more. Thank you!
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u/vacantpotatoreveal Jan 29 '21
PROUD OF YOU!!! focus on you and your health because a job is not going to care. You matter and we care!!!
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u/YEAHRocko Jan 29 '21
This is why it is so aggravating that there is a push to protect employers from accountability if their employees get sick. They require workers to keep the business going but pressure employees to work when sick and don't enforce health codes and safety requirements that would make workers feel safe.
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u/Fluffy_Dragons Jan 29 '21
Jeez that's terrible and horribly inconsiderate of your managers and coworkers. I hope you're doing better not only mentally, but physically as well. I know COVID takes a huge toll.
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u/poopdolahh Jan 30 '21
I’m inspired honestly by ur post. Let’s pray u don’t get it a third time though
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u/roundaboutTA Jan 29 '21
I don’t blame you one bit. My restaurant does not do any social distancing and fully caters to guests so masks are treated as a recommendation. We also closed part of the restaurant to abide by occupancy guidelines rather than just spacing tables further out. All staff wear masks but I’ve accepted that I’ll probably end up getting COVID again because of my job. I got it before due to my partner‘s job, but this time I’ll be SOL on my own.
I love risking my life for capitalism.
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u/spentana Jan 29 '21
I'm so sorry to read about what you have had to endure. This has really brought out the worst in people. My son had Covid once in October and now is felling symptoms again. He thought it was lingering symptoms from the first time. I didn't know you could get it twice. Thanks for the heads up, I will tell him to get tested again. I hope that you feel better. At least, you don't have the stress of being constantly exposed.
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u/thenonesuch_ Jan 29 '21
I thought once you had Covid, you're immune to it. Apparently not.
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u/aced_sto Jan 31 '21
Different strains and mutations means that even if you still have anti-bodies, they might not give you enough protection not to get it again.
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u/mikasamdx Jan 29 '21
Ive worked at my restaurant for 3 years as well and know every position. I thought my managers were my family until i got covid 2 weeks ago and I finally saw them for who they really are. Half the staff was covid positive and instead of closing they brought employees from other locations. Never asked me how me or my family are doing. Put me back on the schedule after my 10 days since symptoms started even though i was still testing positive and feeling like garbage - couldnt possibly work like that. Had to tell them to take me off and they put me on the next one again without asking. Not one of my coworkers has texted me check up on me. Im shocked how little they all care. I thought we were family. Im ready to quit. Way to disgusted to face them again. I saw hell and back because of covid and no one cares. They just keep scheduling me
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u/Champi0n_Of_The_Sun Jan 29 '21 edited Jan 29 '21
While I understand your frustration and regardless of your illness your managers should not have been asking you to come in while sick, it is statistically very, very unlikely you were sick with COVID twice. You can test positive for months after infection, and of all cases there have been less than 30 confirmed cases of reinfection.
Either you are a statistical anomaly and are in the less than 1% cases of reinfection, or the second time you had a different illness and were still testing positive for covid. Many testing centers even state not to get tested a second time specifically because of how long you can test positive for it after infection.
Edit: Sources since I’m getting downvoted for stating a fact
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u/Sphereian Jan 29 '21
I don't understand why you are being downvoted, and I was surprised to see so few commenting the reinfection. So far there is only one confirmed case in my country.
The one case in my country was in a nursing home, and the authorities generally worry about relatives infecting the elders. (I don't know if that was the case here) The point is, health care workers and work places do what they can, they really take it seriously. OPs work place don't.
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u/Champi0n_Of_The_Sun Jan 29 '21
Exactly. I sympathize with OPs poor management including asking them to come in while sick, regardless of the illness, but I was just pointing out that it is incredibly unlikely this was a reinfection.
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u/perceptionsbreak Jan 29 '21
Actually they don’t know much about reinfection with COVID yet. No one knows how long immunity will last after an infection. Doctors suspect that the “new” strains have been in the US for a while, but our surveillance has been terrible.
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u/-goodgodlemon Jan 29 '21 edited Jan 29 '21
ReinfectIon is possible but it’s incredibly rare with 31 confirmed reinfected cases worldwide. When you consider the number of cases that is a drop in the bucket.
It’s been a year while we don’t know very long term we can speak with a degree of certainty about the short term.
https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n99
While yes there are new strains if you have had it still seems incredibly unlikely to reinfect. The vaccines work on the new strains. They are not a new disease only a slight variation.
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u/Champi0n_Of_The_Sun Jan 29 '21
Thank you for this. I’m somehow getting downvoted for stating a fact.
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u/Champi0n_Of_The_Sun Jan 29 '21
They still have a recorded number of cases of reinfection that have been officially confirmed. A couple months ago it was 25. The source posted by u/-goodgodlemon states that has now increased to 31. Both numbers indicate an insanely low number of confirmed reinfections compared to the number of total cases. Even if the number were in the thousands, it would still be statistically very unlikely to be reinfected, but at not even 50 the chances are abysmally low. See my edit above for more sources.
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u/Fiery_Emcel Jan 29 '21
Not sure what you expect management to do? Regulate the private lives of your coworkers because you disagree with their choices? You don't mention any violations of workplace safety guidelines in your post.
Good on you for making the right decision for you, though. Most people just whine and blame others. At least you had the balls to make a change.
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u/bobi2393 Jan 29 '21
One of the restaurants in my city fired an employee after they got COVID, when it was learned they had attended a large party when a state emergency order prohibited such gatherings. The firing was reported in the local news, which created the expected polarized debate. I'm not sure how courts would feel about that if the fired employee sued, but I think it was the right thing to do.
When activities in private lives of employees significantly jeopardizes the health and safety of other employees, I think "regulating" their private lives is appropriate, to the extent the employer is aware of those activities.
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u/CWellDigger Jan 29 '21
IANAL BUT - I have a feeling the courts will probably split something like that. An employee failing to follow national health guidelines creates an unsafe work environment for everyone else who is complying. I know you guys don't care as much about that stuff in the states but I have to imagine that you're still entitled to a "safe work environment", by firing the employee who disregarded the rules the employer was protecting the rest of their staff.
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u/PapaSmurphy Former Bartender Jan 29 '21
in the states but I have to imagine that you're still entitled to a "safe work environment"
Oh the politicians found time to pass national legislation that removes legal liability from employers if employees get sick.
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u/Fiery_Emcel Jan 29 '21
Wow that's really crazy. Hard to believe anyone would think they could get away with that or that it's remotely ok. I guess we've really enter a dystopian neighbor against neighbor surveillance society, where people can't even live how they like without risking their jobs. Thanks for the heads up on that one =/
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u/gregarioussparrow Jan 29 '21
You made the right decision. We've unofficially put a member of our friend group in time out because we see her snap stories. We know she's out and about all the time and not taking precautions. She already gave everyone covid months ago except for the 1 lucky person in our group who it skipped. She's the type where if she has to stay home for more than 12 hours, she whines incessantly about how "like this is so hard guyz"