I think a lot about when I had covid.
I had very sickness symptoms for 2 full weeks before testing positive. I would throw up almost daily, my meals combined with lots of mucus. My manager told me to work and just avoid people, but she ended up asking me to talk to and help people all day even though I couldn't even talk properly due to a sore throat, cough and constantly needing to vomit.
When I finally tested positive I called immediately and told her that I was positive. She refused to accept that the faint line meant positive, despite the fact that I was showing her the chart that said a barely visible line meant positive. "It's so faint, its probably no big deal," she said.
I tested again and the line was much more apparent. She let me stay home but every day for the week I was sick she asked if I was better and ready to come back in. I was coughing constantly till my throat was so raw it tasted a bit like blood.
After a week I started to improve, she said the work policy was if I was improving I should come back. I was still positive.
I avoided everyone and wore my mask, refusing to interact with anyone. I told my coworkers I had it and to avoid me. My manager told me not to tell anyone so as not to worry them. I work in food.
Every day I thought about my coworkers. A woman with a mom who has cancer and who's in the hospital. A mother of 6 young children. Smokers, older women with physical and medical disabilities. They would all die and likewise kill their vulnerable family members if I gave it to them.
I was told that I needed to come back as soon as possible because she needed the hours. She never thought of the permanent hours she would lose if half her work force died.
This is how corporations think about covid. Even pragmatically they only consider the short-term. Never forget that they're the ones who caused this.
