Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Syt]

Apparently the handout was preceded by a joint letter of headmasters/-mistresses complaining that with so many people being out/quarantined because of the pandemic they had to jump in and perform many tasks that were "beneath their pay grade" (one commenting why he even bothered getting his education and training if he had to spend hours doing photocopies because no one else was available).

[Josquius]

Apparently the handout was preceded by a joint letter of headmasters/-mistresses complaining that with so many people being out/quarantined because of the pandemic they had to jump in and perform many tasks that were "beneath their pay grade" (one commenting why he even bothered getting his education and training if he had to spend hours doing photocopies because no one else was available).

Holy entitlement batman.
That defines pretty much any pro job. Large amounts of time doing trivial manual stuff you thought you left behind in primary school.

[Admiral Yi]

Mask mandate on US planes lifted.

[merithyn]

Mask mandate on US planes lifted.

My daughter and I are set to fly out to Mexico next week. She asked if I was still planning to wear a mask, and I said yes because there are no reasons not to and plenty of reasons to do so.

Besides, the mask mandate was only lifted for domestic flights; no word on international yet. 

[Josquius]

Flew yesterday and found schlipol Airport still officially had a wear a mask mandate but in practice only half of people were. A lot of chin masking and people outright ignoring it. Very confused messaging.
The flight itself was no mask.

[Syt]

From next month, we're back at the office Tue-Thu. Mon/Fri we can choose to work from home.

We knew that going forward we would get two home office days per week, though I guess I was a bit optimistic to think that we could choose which ones they'd be. (Though it's a step up from my old job 10+ years ago where under certain circumstances you might be permitted to work from home two or three days per month - but never on Monday or Fridays, because corporate worried that people would claim to work but actually do long weekends )

I expect the office will be quite empty most Fridays.

[Josquius]

From next month, we're back at the office Tue-Thu. Mon/Fri we can choose to work from home.

We knew that going forward we would get two home office days per week, though I guess I was a bit optimistic to think that we could choose which ones they'd be. (Though it's a step up from my old job 10+ years ago where under certain circumstances you might be permitted to work from home two or three days per month - but never on Monday or Fridays, because corporate worried that people would claim to work but actually do long weekends )

I expect the office will be quite empty most Fridays.

Makes more sense to be that way really.
If everyone isn't in the office then being in the office at all loses what purpose it has as meetings will always have to move online anyway for the one person not there.

[Zanza]

If everyone isn't in the office then being in the office at all loses what purpose it has as meetings will always have to move online anyway for the one person not there.

At least in my job, most work meetings will be hybrid anyway with people WFH or in different offices across the globe. And of course our offices are poorly prepared for that. Too few small meeting rooms with good video conference equipment. 

[Tamas]

So how long did you guys' lateral flow tests took to show the positive result? I have been down by what felt like VERY classic cold since Wednesday night (somewhat high temperature for a couple of days, then seriously clogged nose and some coughing since), but I thought I'd do a test as due diligence. I am still waiting for the 15 minutes to pass but it showed positive seconds after I was done dropping the samples.

[Sheilbh]

It varied to be honest. When I first got it it was more or less straightaway positive.

But then as I was coming up to the end of the 10 days and much better it was very slow (but still showed faintly positive).

[Tamas]

Thanks, just checked that we are no longer getting free PCR tests and I am no longer eligible for free lateral flow ones , so I am reserving the last two to confirm if my wife catches it from me (she has started to cough a bit this last couple of days but have been in far better form than me so far).

[garbon]

It varied to be honest. When I first got it it was more or less straightaway positive.

But then as I was coming up to the end of the 10 days and much better it was very slow (but still showed faintly positive).

Yeah, same experience.

[crazy canuck]

I took a rapid test on the first day I had a fever - it was negative.  Isolated in a corner of the house for the next three days of fever.  Next test was also negative.  Doctor told me the rapid tests are terrible at detecting the new variant and to just assume I had Covid. 

Triple vaccination helped and without out that protection - well I don't want to think about what it would have been like.  Still feeling the after effects of fatigue a couple weeks after.

[Tamas]

So I turned out to be quite the little spreader. Parents and sister tested positive, brother in law and niece are also not feeling great, although luckily niece is having the mildest case of all. My wife also certainly has it, I'll convince her to use up one of our remaining test kits tomorrow. Worst hit so far is my mum who has quite a high fever, but I guess medically she'd still qualify as a mild case.

[viper37]

I haven't had it yet.  It seems I'm the only one to live an exemplary hermit life here!