So, now im genuinely scared and concerned

Clockworkmike

Clockworkmike

Ambassador of STACKS in WV SHACKS
Country flag
I just got informed an hr ago that I have been directly exposed to two confirmed COVID19 cases at a hospital Ive had to work at. We are working on a remodel at this hole in the wall hospital in my town and going back to March, we were given explicit instructions by our international union to walk off any job if we felt there was significant exposure risk. This job is a daily risk but when we tried to leave, they threatened to sue our company for damages and thus i was labeled an essential worker and forced back in.

Ive taken ridiculous levels of precautions to avoid exposure and wear a mask daily inside and out. I have bent over backwards to keep from bringing it home to my wife and kids, when others refused to ever wear a mask. I wash down groceries and my debit card daily. Hands chapped from sanitizer burn. And now, i go to work today and after 4hrs of being there and doing our daily prescreening, the hospital reluctantly tells the contractors we've all been directly exposed by 2 patients nearby our work area and are requiring more PPE than we have readily available.

Im genuinely scared shitless if you want the truth and i cant even get a test until at least 5 days from now. Meanwhile, my company doesnt care a second about any of that and only asked if i could just leave there and go back up north, 2hrs away and work. Mentioned that i needed to get a test first under the international rules and my boss was just dismissive.

This is pathetic and truly upsetting
 
Hopefully you won't be affected.
I know of two people personally that had it and tested positive, recovered and their spouses never got it.
Even after coexisting in the same house.
Your sanitation protocol may have served you well.
Best of luck to you!
 
Clockworkmike said:
I just got informed an hr ago that I have been directly exposed to two confirmed COVID19 cases at a hospital Ive had to work at. We are working on a remodel at this hole in the wall hospital in my town and going back to March, we were given explicit instructions by our international union to walk off any job if we felt there was significant exposure risk. This job is a daily risk but when we tried to leave, they threatened to sue our company for damages and thus i was labeled an essential worker and forced back in.

Ive taken ridiculous levels of precautions to avoid exposure and wear a mask daily inside and out. I have bent over backwards to keep from bringing it home to my wife and kids, when others refused to ever wear a mask. I wash down groceries and my debit card daily. Hands chapped from sanitizer burn. And now, i go to work today and after 4hrs of being there and doing our daily prescreening, the hospital reluctantly tells the contractors we've all been directly exposed by 2 patients nearby our work area and are requiring more PPE than we have readily available.

Im genuinely scared :poo:less if you want the truth and i cant even get a test until at least 5 days from now. Meanwhile, my company doesnt care a second about any of that and only asked if i could just leave there and go back up north, 2hrs away and work. Mentioned that i needed to get a test first under the international rules and my boss was just dismissive.

This is pathetic and truly upsetting
Click to expand...

It depends.
Was the COVID case wearing a mask or not? This is the biggest factor.

It depends on which type mask you are wearing.
N95 = 5% exposure
Plain paper mask = 40%

But you are only likely to develop severe symptoms, under certain conditions.
If you were like me, you develop only minor symptoms which last only a few days. So it is not necessarily panic time.

If you lose your sense of taste, and have diarrhea, then you might want to head for treatment.
 
Thanks everyone. Im fingers crossed that i get lucky and dodge it. But thats not for me, its so i dont bring it home or give it to my wife and kids. They are currently in online classes to avoid a bad outbreak our area has been combating for a while, so it would be disheartening to still bring it to them after they are doing their parts. I also fear for my parents and in laws, namely my dad and father in law because both have some pretty bad underlying issues each ( dad having cancer). So no matter what, im keeping well away from them no matter how bad i hate that.

I myself, should be ok. As Hunter S Thompson once said: "There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die." ;)
 
wow, sorry to hear you got "essentially" dicked around.
If told I was definitely exposed, I would want to get tested.

Isn't one of the things unions are big is OSHA / safety?
Would they help you out here or is it just on paper; if you make waves, its trouble?
 
Happy to see you are taking this seriously. Its too bad more people aren't. People are dying young and old . Doesn't matter how healthy a person is or not, this thing can get you. We are in a Pandemic this is not just the normal seasonal flu, which we know if caught is not good either.
 
jtcnj said:
wow, sorry to hear you got "essentially" dicked around.
If told I was definitely exposed, I would want to get tested.

Isn't one of the things unions are big is OSHA / safety?
Would they help you out here or is it just on paper; if you make waves, its trouble?
Click to expand...
I can definitely go to the local hall and make waves. Im not gonna sweat what the company says because it violates almost every piece of our National Disease Emergency Response Agreement that was drafted on March 13, 2020 and supersedes all existing policies. Its basically in place to protect all workers directly exposed and the companies as well from loss of employees due to COVID. It really benefits all sides but some companies are just greedy and money hungry, downplaying the significance of the pandemic. The contract though pushes back against any retribution on anyone who quarantines with reasonable cause. Today definitely met that guideline for the first time
 
If it helps. Back in July, one of my coworkers tested positive. He was in sales, so not lots of interaction with me in parts..... but we did interact.... and usually with a parts counter between us. However, he had way closer interaction with the three people in the sales office..... for longer periods of time. I got tested as did my wife. Probably didn’t need to. The three people in the office got tested.... as they should have. No one else in the store tested pos. We all know we dodged a bullet and can totally owe that to our owners taking this pandemic serious. Masks required. Social distance unless it can’t be avoided. They were having the place cleaned regularly..... as best as a 90 year old building can be cleaned. The other two in my dept are big time germaphobes and we’re always wiping down the counter and computer and anything else they thought people may have touched.

I’m betting you’re going to be fine. But like you, I was both scared and ticked off at the same time.
 
Amp Mad Scientist said:
It depends.
Was the COVID case wearing a mask or not? This is the biggest factor.

It depends on which type mask you are wearing.
N95 = 5% exposure
Plain paper mask = 40%

If you lose your sense of taste, and have diarrhea, then you might want to head for treatment.
Click to expand...

If you lose your sense of taste, and buy a Telecaster, you have problems, but can't blame Covid-19.
 
Clockworkmike said:
Thanks everyone. Im fingers crossed that i get lucky and dodge it. But thats not for me, its so i dont bring it home or give it to my wife and kids. They are currently in online classes to avoid a bad outbreak our area has been combating for a while, so it would be disheartening to still bring it to them after they are doing their parts. I also fear for my parents and in laws, namely my dad and father in law because both have some pretty bad underlying issues each ( dad having cancer). So no matter what, im keeping well away from them no matter how bad i hate that.

I myself, should be ok. As Hunter S Thompson once said: "There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die." ;)
Click to expand...
More like "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro"

I knew I always liked you Mike, anyone that quotes Hunter is "allright" in my world.
 
Wow, I feel for you & your family, it would be a stressful time. All good mojo's your way.
Regarding the wiping of surfaces mentioned in an earlier post (along with regular hand sanitation), this is a very good idea to prevent the spread of this virus. Apparently (depending on temperatures), the COVID-19 gremlins can stay alive & active on surfaces for quite some time.
Hoping you all stay well. Cheers
 
Hope it all works out for you. The thought of passing it on is scarier than actually getting it one’s self. I am receiving daily emails from HR about new cases in the company. Fortunately they have all been in the Chicago or smaller mid-west and southern tech centers. In Massachusetts, the rules have been fairly strict. Luckily, the businesses in New Hampshire and Maine have been playing by the same rules, even though their state governments do not.

It sucks being essentially martyred every day to make someone else money. Too bad the U.S. is worse than most third world countries when it comes to social safety nets.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top