So frustrated with my coworkers about coronavirus....

[Inflikted]

I've talked about this in other forms before, but I work with people who are, quite frankly, recklessly ignorant when it comes to the current pandemic. My boss's stance is that, while the coronavirus is "real", it's actually just an overblown case of "the sniffles", that you get it and feel like crap for a few days, then it goes away and you're totally fine and back to normal. She asserts that the numbers and the science behind coronavirus are all lies, and that this is just the "liberal media" trying to make Trump look bad for the upcoming election. She is vehemently against masks and against safety restrictions. She's recently praised Sweden's handling of the virus, and believes the US needs to fully reopen and let the virus sweep through and run its course. She and her family brazenly vacationed in Myrtle Beach a few weeks ago when Florida was ramping up bad, and she fully admitted that she and her family made no efforts to be careful (thankfully, it's been over two weeks since then, and none of us have developed symptoms). She's also talking about going to some protest this weekend that's rallying against masks and restrictions, which I'm praying she opts not to attend.

My other two coworkers generally feel the same as her. None of them wear masks, none of them make any efforts to be careful or safe. They think coronavirus is nothing, and they refuse to stop "living their lives fully" just to make others feel safer. They've been going to reopened gyms and restaurants, even though my state's numbers have been going up a bit lately. And that's just the stuff I hear them talking about at work. Who knows what else they're getting up to?

Honestly, I find it very frustrating. I do what I can to be safe at work. I wear a mask when away from my desk, I'm constantly washing my hands or using hand sanitizer, I do my best to keep my distance from my coworkers. But realistically, there's only so much I can do. I can't always keep good distance from them. We have to share a lot of equipment to get our work done. We have to share a single small bathroom. They generally have little regard for keeping their own distance from me.

All I can do is hope that what I do will be enough, but will it be? I'm not so sure. And that scares me. If I get coronavirus and give it to my parents, I don't know that either would survive it. I'm pretty sure my friend's sister has a condition that means that she has a weakened immune system, so if I was responsible for her catching it... If I gave it to my friends, I don't know that they'd ever forgive me.

My coworkers constantly talk about how restrictions mean we're "living in fear" and how having to wear masks and follow restrictions is equivalent of having to "carry the entire weight of the world on their shoulders", and that it's "not fair" for anyone to tell them they can't live their lives as normally.

But to me, "living in fear" isn't having to wear a mask or follow some restrictions. "Living in fear" is having to know that you cannot trust your three coworkers to be smart and responsible. I have to wonder every day if any of them may be carrying the virus, wondering if my precautions aren't enough, wondering if I'm bringing it home to my parents, to my friends, without even knowing.

They all live their lives care free, going out and doing whatever, but I have to put my life on hold because of them. When my boss went to Florida for vacation, I had to quarantine myself from my friends for two weeks. Today, one of my coworkers called in sick (although it's much more likely she was just BSing and didn't feel like coming in, which is fairly common with her, so probably nothing to actually be worried about), so now if my friends ask me to hang out this weekend, I'm gonna have to tell them and let them decide if they want to risk hanging out with me.

People like me are the ones who have to carry the burden, because we're trying to be smart and safe, all so the idiots of the world can go out and do whatever the heck they want because "I'm gonna live my life no matter what!". How is that fair? My boss's response to that would be "Either stay home and be afraid or grow a pair and go live your life as normal"...

The thing is, it isn't like those of us who are being safe are thrilled about things. We're not running around going "Man, I sure love wearing a mask and never leaving the house! This is great!". Masks and restrictions are a compromise. If everybody follows along with it, yes, we all get a little bit of the burden, but we all get to have our little bits of life, as well. But "anti-maskers", or whatever you want to label them, refuse to compromise. They demand normal life without compromises, and everyone else has to suffer because of it. I want to have a little normalcy, too, but I can't, because my coworkers make me a risk to everyone else. I'm not afforded that liberty. And that sucks.

I've been biting my tongue at work, because in a three-against-one scenario like that, I can't "win" any arguments. I've been telling myself to try to weather the storm, because once the pandemic is over, everything will go back to normal and they'll stop talking about it, and things will be good again. But I'm starting to lose my patience for my coworkers, and considering we have several more months, maybe more than a year, of this pandemic, I'm wondering if I'll be able to put up with it that long. Unfortunately, I don't really have any good options.

1. There's no talking any sense into my coworkers. They firmly believe they're right. My boss very much believes she knows exactly what's going on, and it's those of us that ARE trying to be smart and safe that "need to wake up, and do some research".

2. There's no point reporting them to anyone. Our company is pretty small, and the higher ups all seem pretty lax with this stuff, themselves (heck, the owner of the entire company comes every now and then to pick stuff up in our department, and even he doesn't wear a mask). Besides, it would be obvious I'm the one who reported them, and all that would do is create a hostile work environment for me, for getting them in trouble. Plus, it wouldn't change how they live their lives outside of work. All it would do is make them make sure they keep quiet around me so I don't know what they're doing outside of work.

3. Even if I did push hard to get them in trouble, if the three of them, like, got fired, that would really screw me over, because I can't run the department myself for any period of time, I'm not capable of training any new hires properly, and no one else in the company has the knowledge or experience of what we do in our department to be able to help with that.

4. Quitting would be pointless. For one, I can't be without income. And aside from my inability to find a better kind of job pre-pandemic, with the current state of things, there aren't many options besides retail and service, which would be even bigger risks because dealing with the general public means a much more significant chance of getting the virus. At least now, I only have to worry about the three morons I see every day. Plus, even if I were able to find a similar job elsewhere, who's to say my new coworkers wouldn't also be the "lol No one's telling me to wear a mask!" type?

So, I don't know where that leaves me. I'm just... frustrated. It's bad enough I have to hear them ranting about this stuff every day, but to also see their poor decisions affecting my own life in a negative way is just frustrating. All anyone has to do is compromise for a while, and then everyone wins in the long term. But no, they need to have their way right now, and those of us trying to be safe and smart have to suffer and put our lives on hold because of the idiots around us.

[amaysngrace]

Yesterday in the vape store the owner talked me into trying a different brand than I usually get so I removed my mask a little to be able to try it out.  He took his off a little too when I did which I thought was nice.  

I hang out with friends sometimes, shared a jay with my friend the other day which was probably a dumb idea but we were drinking vodka seltzer so should probably be okay.  

I also just started texting my exBf, not my latest - a guy from like eight years ago who I really loved a lot, and we’re planning on going to this beach town we use to hang out in together.  Not sure when we’ll do that but I want to do that soon.  

Anyway wherever we go we will probably have people closer to me than I’m use to having all not wearing a mask, myself included.  

If I get sick you’ll know why I guess and if I don’t then I’ll learn something too. 

[Happy Lemming]

There are two things you never discuss at work, one is politics, the other is religion.  If they want to discuss the pandemic and the politics associated with the current administration, let them.  You keep your mouth shut and continue on with your day.

You can control "you" and not much else.  So wear your mask, do your job, keep chit-chat to a minimum and try to keep your distance.

What is stopping you from updating your resume' and attempting to look for a different job??  You might find one with a higher pay rate!!

Keep in mind that work is a place where you trade your services for money.  You are not there to make friends, be polite and professional, but keep your nose to the grindstone and stay clear of others.

[Inflikted]

On 7/17/2020 at 7:20 PM, Happy Lemming said:

Keep in mind that work is a place where you trade your services for money.  You are not there to make friends, be polite and professional, but keep your nose to the grindstone and stay clear of others.

Yeah, I mean, I really don't care about "socializing" with my coworkers. It's not so much that I care about what any of them are doing in their lives in a general sense, or anything like that. It's just frustrating because their reckless behavior puts me (and my loved ones) at risk, and there's very little I can do to stop that.

On 7/17/2020 at 7:20 PM, Happy Lemming said:

What is stopping you from updating your resume' and attempting to look for a different job??  You might find one with a higher pay rate!!

There's not really much to add, to be honest. I still don't have any real valuable skills or knowledge, and I can't imagine myself being capable of any kind of job that would offer any kind of a better pay rate.

[pianomanwoman]

I can relate, my living situation, they didn't want to social distance. You know, I always move backwards when people come toward me. They try to break the 6 foot rule, and they are unaware that talking singing and loud talking can make the virus aerosol (airborne). People around me have some excuse why..such as they don't have symptoms.  Id like to make a suggestion to you. If you are not willing to quit, or change jobs, or stay home until your co-workers wear a mask, then tell them that YOU are social distancing and YOU are sorry, and walk backwards when they try to get within six feet, because when they get sick, you don't want to die. Its deadly. If it was airborne AIDS or EBOLA your boss would still be a jerk and die AND try to take you with them. Please be safe and remember the Queen of England's advice "never explain".  She's around 99 years old or something.  So wear your mask and ignore/avoid anyone who is trying to GIVE you Covid19.  Just assume that they are all infected and stay 14 days isolated one month at a time. Wash your hands and keep your germs cleaned in your space. That's what I do.