To think some people are ‘enjoying’ the pandemic

[Flynnqwer]

I’ve noticed an attitude amongst some people where they’re nothing short of praying for a new, more lethal, variant.

I’ve noticed it amongst people I work with and people I do a hobby with. Any discussion about going back to our workplace (we can work from home but not easily or particularly effectively) once the Government ends the restrictions on waiting from home, or back to our hobby in real life instead of on Zoom (the hobby is controlled by a central board who are following the WFH advice until it is lifted) are met with cries of ‘No! We can’t do that! It’s dangerous!’ and it anyone points out that, thankfully, it looks like the vaccination programme is working and Omicron is less severe, they come back with ‘but what if there’s a more lethal strain that appears and kills millions?’

My workplace has one element which has legally got to be done in person. I have had emails today from managers begging us to cancel said work thing and do it online. We cannot do it on line lawfully (it’s along the lines of witnessing signatures). We have told them no, we must go into the building for an hour to fulfil this function. They are saying that that is breaking the working from home directive, that it’s unsafe, and what if a deadly variant is discovered? Then we’d have to find a way around the law.

AIBU that some people are actively hoping that the situation worsens and we are locked back down? Why would anyone want this to happen?

Definitely never want to hear that ! X

People are saving fortunes on travel and childcare, the WFH has enabled working people (mums) to balance work/ life a little better - if you have a job that’s changed that way that is. If agile working remains it will be great - doesn’t mean I want covid to continue at all it’s horrible for some

My son would love another lock down, he loved home schooling as he doesn't like school, but I have told him, I am a key worker and so is his dad, so he would be off to school.
I think your bosses are wrong, if the job that needs doing is only for 1 day, then that's OK its only work from home if you can. no need to break the law.
I don't want another lock down, but people staying 2 metres away is nice, I had a girl in the supermarket, more or less sat on my shoulder the other day, really creepy, nothing to do with covid, just totally in my personal space. Plus I don't like crowded spaces, never had, so quiter shops are nice.

I don’t believe that people are ‘enjoying’ the pandemic but I think people have become comfortable with it now as, after nearly two years we’ve all had to adapt.

I have worked from home since 2018 so it’s really helped me avoid social contact with people I don’t really know and I’ve adapted my personal life, shopping trips, nights out, etc… to try to keep myself and family as safe as possible

Many have had a real tough time but I consider myself lucky as it’s not really affected too much of my day to day life.

Yes, this is true. I think for many years to come the mass hysteria will be studied and analysed. Of course the pandemic is hugely serious and regulations needed to be in place. It's great that working from home is an option now, because if this had have happened even thirty years ago, the current response would not have been possible. However there appears to be a section of people I know who simply cannot get enough of it. I honestly believe that they are addicted to it. They have no empathy for those for whom the pandemic has brought hardship or poor mental health. They cannot look at ANY evidence that does not support any of their own views, because they appear to want it to go on and on indefinitely. There is no perspective, no concern and no filter on the hatred that they spew about others that do not share their view. And guess what? All of these people are middle class folk whose income has not been affected one iota, who enjoy working from home and who don't want to see one aspect of their 'new life' change. They all have gardens, families and a regular supply of goodies online due to not being financially affected.

@HarrietteNightingale

OP said that WFH could not be done at her organisation "easily or particularly effectively". I think there are many roles where while technically possible WFH is not that suitable, and many more where it's impossible.

Agree with this. There are jobs where you can make do WFH when it’s essential, but it’s not realistic long term.

Not enjoying it, but my job as a teacher has become so much more stressful and difficult since Covid. Children are struggling academically and socially, we still have children missing school due to illness, the differences between the children that were fortunate enough to have parents willing and, more importantly, able to help them home school and those that did not are huge and it's horrible to see and I don't know how we are going to close that gap. I was WFH due to being considered vulnerable in the first lockdown and I HATED it at the time - I missed my school, my children, my colleagues. I live alone and it was so lonely. However, when I get stressed I feel like it was and easier time. I baked, read loads of books, watched lots of TV - all of these were coping strategies for the anxiety I felt but it's easy to forget that now. So I think some people might like the idea of what they think they remember a lockdown being - the reality is very different to how they think remember it though.

:17FrasierCraneDay

Yes I agree, and the majority of those enjoying the pandemic are the ones that benefitted from furlough and spent lock down relaxing in the garden while the rest of us worked liked dogs

I was never on furlough and am still working like a dog, but did furlough some staff. They, like anyone I know who was furloughed, did not have a choice about the matter and most lost earnings. So I have to say I think YABU.

I have several friends or know husbands of friends who like how it has changed their working lives and do not want to go back to working from a central base/office. They all admit they have more freedom, are less checked up on, their days are less structured, it costs them less.

I also know people (paid staff) through volunteering I do every week at a heritage visitor centre and gallery in Northumberland who are absolutely obsessed by Covid and object to every attempt by the manager to open-up the venue in any way. It relies heavily on public funds through entry to exhibitions and events, the shop and cafe. They create enormous fuss at any suggestion of relaxing any of the things that have been put in place, partly because they are obsessed with the danger of covid but also because they like the changes. Only work 4.5 hours a day now, when it used to be 7, no work at weekends -it is closed then and that's when it was busiest. They won't work in the evenings for events because it would be more relaxed (and they don't like evening work). They put their foot down about schools being involved because children/young people are big spreaders. They have ridiculous systems for ordering takeaway drinks that have put visitors off ordering. They don't seem to realise they will lose their jobs because it is losing thousands every month and will likely close.

My aunt's carers wind her up every day with horror stories and rumours about Covid that are either exaggerated or untrue. Last week I was there when one of them told her (full of self-importance and with glee) that 'we are expecting a much more infectious and dangerous variant to come along soon- we've been told it's only a matter of weeks and we'll all be in full lock-down again'. I asked who had told them that and she said 'Everyone knows'. I asked again who had actually told her and eventually it emerged it is just the carers gossiping to each other. I followed her out to her car and asked her, politely, not to say things like that to my aunt because it scares her. She wasn't happy but it's ridiculous.

We are living in very odd times and our society has seen weakest, selfish, pathetic behaviours from some groups of people during this pandemic- including the government.

YANBU you are so right. I am triple jabbed but how many are we going to need before the COVID-lovers shut up about potential new strains, 'the new normal', 'we might be in another lockdown by then!', 'its just a bit of cloth' when people complain about excessive mask wearing etc. I will not be made to feel guilty for taking my mask down to breathe in public or for going to a gig or to a pub when we've sacrificed so much. Some people have definitely gotten too comfortable with not having to leave the house and are using it as an excuse to be faux concerned about the severity of the pandemic. I am pretty introverted and enjoyed not having the pressure of needing to make plans constantly to keep my friendships alive. But obviously I prefer normal life a lot lot more. I'm sorry but the people who think we should still be living life like its March 2020 are almost as deluded as those who think COVID is a non-existent hoax.

A Pandemic is people dropping dead in the streets. People need to get over it.

@TheReluctantPhoenix

This love of WFH is selfish.

Ultimately, it suits the middle aged middle classes, but few others. It kills the social life that goes with work, prevents meaningful mentoring of young staff and destroys all the local businesses that depend on office staff.

I think that maybe the future is a more flexible working environment with some WFH, but we must not forget that many have no choice.

I am middle aged and middle class but YANBU.

People who work from home may not be spending money in High Street shops but they will be spending money elsewhere for the food they eat in their lunch breaks creating jobs elsewhere.

What about people who don't work from home but bring their own lunch in rather than go out and buy it in the city centre - are they being selfish? If people are worried about going back to the office because of covid, they aren't going to go out and buy lunch in a coffee shop or suchlike if they do go back to the office - they'll bring it from home. You make it sound like everyone has a duty to spend a certain amount of money each week to safeguard people's jobs.

As for the social life that goes with work - it's not the duty of employees to foster a social life for their colleagues. Conversations can happen over video conferencing and chat software, as can meaningful mentoring.

It's interesting how working from home never seemed to attract much criticism before the pandemic.

Seems if everyone else wants to do the hobby from home and you don’t, maybe the hobby is better done from home.

I 100pc agree. In 2027 there's gonna be a hist of people who will still be wanting to self isolate and retreat from society and impose this on the rest of us. To some this has been their finest hour/eighteen months

@threatmatrix

A Pandemic is people dropping dead in the streets. People need to get over it.

@threatmatrix .. what?? No it isn't...!

Yes but how can you get your husband wfh if the employer doesn’t want/allow that although his work can be perfectly done remotely. My dh is more than capable and willing to do childcare, chores etc more than my fair share but his employer is terrible. Unless the gov mandates wfh I am left as the one wfh (due to the nature of my job and my employer giving autonomy) and it is physically not possible for my dh to share the housekeeping burden. The gov must legislate wfh as a right but not a benefit as it is now. Employees are at the mercy of employers and unless there is no covid wfh mandate people cannot work as they prefer (for the jobs that can be perfectly done remotely). Gender inequality and gender pay gap won’t close unless the gov steps in. We are desperately using the wfh mandate for our advantage as otherwise I would have to go part time in my job to be able to do “homemaking” as Americans call it!

threatmatrix Sun 16-Jan-22 18:22:38
"A Pandemic is people dropping dead in the streets. People need to get over it."

What is the meaning of pandemic in Oxford dictionary?
noun. /pænˈdemɪk/ /pænˈdemɪk/ a disease that spreads over a whole country or the whole world.

Yes I agree. There is a sizeable element that are on the fear bandwagon but sort of enjoying it - enjoying having a rest, enjoying not feeling obliged to visit people/stay in touch etc etc

I really think this is the case for some people. Perhaps many people were burnt out before 2020 with a fast paced life and enjoying their homes more...it is a weird one...x

Oh sorry, your right I’m wrong. 🙄

Totally agree with you. People are very selective as well about what it limits them to do. They are using it for their own ends.

Has a job interview this week for a mental health role. It seemed the organisation were looking to avoid any contact with people and spoke a lot about virtual support. It’s a charity, the interview was conducted in a huge room with all the windows open, the interviewer was six feet away, we were both masked. It was absolutely freezing and hard to hear some of the questions. There was hardly any furniture (covid hazard apparently), I had to sign a paper and after I signed it he said “oh no we’ve both touched it, we better leave it an hour before I take it”. He said it was masks at all times during the working day. They have only just reopened to service users. He was keen to stress that the organisation would be sticking to the measures introduced in 2020 for as long as possible.
It was so inhospitable to anyone who was feeling low or in crisis as people are being treated as walking illness spreaders rather then humans. They have stopped play sessions for children in disadvantaged homes as children don’t socially distance and are “super spreaders” and they touch all the toys before they can sanitise them. I had to sanitise my hands at two points 6 feet apart.

It was so over the top. I left feeling depressed and unwanted in the space, so can only imagine how a service user might feel.

but what if there’s a more lethal strain that appears and kills millions?’

So funny that despite Omicron along and completely fucking up where we were for a bit, and everyone having to be boosted because of it, people still don’t see that this is an actual risk.

Stupid to say that people are enjoying it. Others just have a different way of assessing and viewing risks than you do.

Yes I've noticed people becoming obsessed with testing then when they are positive they share it all over social media for attention. It's something akin to munchausen syndrome but on a mass scale.

If someone not vulnerable wants to wear a mask outside in a quiet area that's up to them. They might be going to meet someone vulnerable in a few days and, even though it is very unlikely they will get covid from being outside in a quiet area, they might want to do everything they can to avoid getting covid just in case.

Or, like me, they might find that their face mask is way more effective at keeping their face warm than scarves ever were. I’ll be keeping mine long after covid isn’t a risk any more.