Coffee Break: 32 Oz Water Bottle

93 Comments

1. I’m WFH, but concerned about my husband. He’s over 60 and works in IT at a hospital. His building is basically an office building but some floors are clinics so he’s sharing lobby space and elevators with potentially sick people. We live in the Bay Area, so definitely one of the COVID-19 cluster areas.

   It seems the CDC has recommended but not required that people over 60 stay home. His workplace so far is showing zero leadership on this, it’s work as usual, which means in the office for set hours, in a low-walled cube farm.

   It seems to me that the best risk management for the hospital is to have employees who can work from home, like those in IT, do so in order to minimize the risk that they become sick and unable to support the hospital by doing their usual work. But no. His hospital is still holding large in-person meetings for non-urgent things like future software upgrades.

   I seriously feel like I should contact the press on this.

   1. Why not have your husband contact HR and ask for a specific accommodation allowing him to work from home? My hospital has just implemented a WFH request portal (most of our staff are clinical, and therefore essential personnel who have to remain on campus-this is for non-clinical staff). As part of the communication, they said managers have to engage in an iterative accommodation process with employees. Seems like that would be the way to go. Please keep in mind that the true emergency for hospitals is to care for sick patients. There may be some administrative inefficiencies in other areas during this critical time.

      1. Thanks for this. His immediate manager is a combination of 1) a “this virus is no big deal” idiot, and 2) afraid to go to his own manager about anything, so my husband feels like he has no recourse other than to just not show up for work.

         1. Yeah, contact the press. The CDC’s nationwide advisory is for those 60+ and/or at risk to stay home. He shouldn’t have to tell a HOSPITAL for crists sake about a pandemic advisory.

   2. It’s a hospital. Do it. Contact the press. If they’re this lackadaisical about employees who can work from home, are they being cautious about infection control? I’d want to know as a patient.

      1. +1

      2. Agree. See if you can also contact your local health department.

      3. I get that, but I think that there is a way of doing it that doesn’t put your job or reputation at risk. Too often on here there is a bit of “I heard that someone saw Goody Proctor with the Devil” that I think is not helpful and possibly quite harmful.

      4. But isn’t a hospital’s IT department core to how healthcare works today? Not saying that their implementation is right, but I think they get a claim on “this is mission critical right now” and the employee is the no-good troublemaker.

         1. I’m OP. They are core but they are also able to do their work remotely with VPNs. I don’t think there’s anything that justifies them needing to be in the office. In fact, it would be good risk management to have them work from home to keep them healthy and operational.

            1. It may be that the VPN can’t support the whole staff working remotely.

      5. Is contacting the press really a great idea? People keep saying it here and I’m sure there are some companies where maybe the press would care, but I don’t know that the news is out there doing hard hitting reports on everyone’s workplace and meanwhile you’re kind of shooting yourself in the foot at work.

         1. Yeah, it’s just not going to be a big deal for most journalists. Do you think there’s going to be a front page story about each business that won’t let employees work from home? Or that the journalists are not already overwhelmed with stories like these?

   3. There’s about to be a shelter in place order for the Bay Area. Chronicle is reporting it. Wow, this is crazy.

      1. Wow, indeed. Thank you for sharing.

      2. Is that constitutional? I had that in a foreign country (where you just STFU and deal with it) but this seems alarming (but I get why it’s a good idea to deal with something practially, if not completely legal).

         1. The case law is over 100 years old, but SCOTUS has said that states/municipalities have pretty broad authority to implement measures to protect the public health. They’re supposed to use the least restrictive means necessary, but if just advising people to stay home didn’t work, then there’s at least an argument for stricter measures.

         2. I’m curious: why would you think this is illegal?

            1. Well there’s a constitutional right to travel. (Not that I’m arguing people should be traveling right now. Just pointing that out.)

   4. There is an Ask A Manager post about what to do if your company is not handling this well – aka management is stupid.

      https://www.askamanager.org/2020/03/what-to-do-if-your-company-isnt-handling-coronavirus-well.html

   5. It’s hard for employers to thread the needle of requiring asymptomatic, high-risk (by age or health condition) to stay home given concerns about discrimination and the fact that the available guidance is changing pretty quickly. It may be getting easier now that there are governmental orders coming down which may offset some of the legal concerns.

      1. IANAL, but if you just require or allow everyone to stay home, then I don’t think you have to worry about discrimination.

         1. How, exactly, would that work at a hospital?

            1. He is in IT! He doesn’t need to be there unless he is maintaining the physical infrastructure.

      2. Right — like what if your whole nursing / CT / xray / emergency department opts out b/c they are a degree away from a higher-risk person? Sometimes the age guidance is >50. Earlier, it was >80.

2. I’m really, really bad at staying focused all day inside my house. Any tips or articles that share good tips? I’m a lawyer, in a bit of a slow point but I have stuff to do (probably 20 billable hours on my plate right now, all due by the end of the week). Depending on what the Senate does, and whether judges are actually working over spring break, this could pick up…but I’m struggling to both stay focused and on task for more than an hour or so.

   I have it better than most – I’m single, childfree, and healthy, so I am honestly only managing myself and my inbox/workflow.

   1. Try the Pomodoro technique – set a timer for 20 minutes and do some focused work before taking a break.

   2. Read an e-book or listen to a pod cast on anything. I’ve learned so much sitting around the apartement all day, and was only able to bill 7 hours, which is alot less then normal.

3. even companies that claim everyone is working from home, do not have everyone working from home. a friend was supposed to start working for a large company whose name starts with a G and ends with an E in NYC today. she has been at her parents’ house in the burbs with her sister who just arrived back from Paris and is supposed to self-quarantine, so since she has now been with someone who is supposed to be quarantining she too should be under quarantine. Instead she went to the G office today to get her badge, etc. and then went back home

   1. So? Do you think that random misfires are anything but to be expected?

   2. What’s your point?

   3. The company didn’t say they barred employees from the building, they said employees are working from home. I’m not sure how someone’s poor judgment choosing to go in for a few minutes to grab a badge means that the company is lying about employees working from home?

4. I’m not going so far as to let my essential hygiene go, but I’m somewhat ashamed of my lack of grooming since WFH. No makeup, shaving, or hair styling in sight (and I’m usually full face and styled updo sort of person). So far the Hubs hasn’t complained but I’m afraid there may be a limit. Anyone else in this camp?

   1. Yep. I definitely tend to let things go when I’m WFH. What’s the point? I’m usually at home by myself and my cats don’t care. I do change out of my PJs into leggings and sweatshirt, but that’s about it. It feels weird putting my makeup on if I’m just sitting around the house all day. I don’t like the feeling of being all dressed up with nowhere to go.

   2. Yes, I’m showering, teeth brushing, hair washing, and lotion applying, on a daily basis but not on a regular workday time schedule.

      I am not hair drying, makeup applying, dressing up, tweezing or shaving.

      My husband can stuff it if he thinks this is a problem. We have bigger fish to fry.

   3. I’m still in my PJs and it’s 3:30 on the east coast. That said, I will definitely be showered by the time my husband gets home (I’m grossing myself out). I generally do basic makeup (5 products instead of 10) on casual Saturdays/WFH days.

   4. Omg I can’t fathom worrying that my husband would be mad at me for just like existing as a person who is clean but not all dolled up.

      1. Seriously! God forbid you don’t wear makeup. That is far from letting yourself go.

   5. I brush teeth, shower, and change into fresh sweats each day. That’s it. Husband is in the same boat.

      1. Fresh sweats for the win!

   6. Absolutely. I am in pajamas, no makeup, unwashed hair, etc. I plan to run after I am done working for the day, and then I will shower. It meant I could sleep in for an hour this morning!

   7. It’s a good thing that your husband isn’t expecting you to wear a full face of makeup with a styled updo at home, isn’t it? Why are you ashamed of that?

      1. I mean, she’s probably exaggerating? But yeah, I never wear make-up and often look somewhat disheveled and I’m still happily married so it can be done. I’m proof :)

         1. My husband is opposed to makeup and hairstyling, so he will really like the days when I don’t have videoconferences. He has also been pestering me to quit coloring my hair, so he’s also going to be really happy because I can’t go to the salon to have my roots done. My natural hair color has not seen the light of day since I started going gray at age 19.

   8. I shaved only one leg because I ran out of hot water … still haven’t bothered to shave the other one days later

   9. I’m still at work, wearing jeans, Converse, and a pink t-shirt that says WWJD What Would Jeter Do? I’m tired and I look it. Other than my friend’s wedding, we spent the weekend in pajamas. If the dude and I quarantine together, I will probably wear makeup, but that’s as much for me as him. Oh, and I fell down some stairs on Thursday night (pre-alcohol) and my legs and chest are horribly bruised. IDGAF

   10. I’m coming up on the opposite behavior of getting back to looking… decent. Not full-on office mode, but I found myself wallowing by not getting up, getting dressed, etc. I legit ate cookies for breakfast every day last week because I couldn’t go to the gym like normal. Today, I got up and did a workout video and put on some makeup, and I feel much better. I won’t bother with makeup every single day while WFH, but I can’t just not bother, otherwise I’ll start wallowing.

5. I WFH all the time, generally when kids are sick (so often subdued and tired, no homework, often one at a time) and then every evening. Now school is cancelled and they are getting computer assignments (we have one home computer, so not as available as other households with one per body; better than some households that aren’t computer households). I’m doing more cooking and homeschooling (math is not self-teaching, no matter how many Khan academy videos you watch; at least they aren’t in chem lab or anything requiring disection). Work? Not so much.

   1. I think it’s time to get another computer at a minimum. I’m assuming you can get a chromebook shipped.

   2. It hadn’t really occurred to me until now that houses with multiple kids might have an issue ensuring all kids are able to do their remote learning, I was just happy remote learning has come a long way in recent years. I had a desktop in my bedroom middle school through most of high school, but it didn’t have internet and was mostly for typing essays and playing games like The Sims and Roller Coaster Tycoon. Then I got my own laptop in my senior year of high school, and only because my desktop died and I’d need one soon anyway, but the internet in my room was essentially non-existent. Things are probably a little different now, but I’m sure a lot families still aren’t giving their kids their own laptops until a certain age, and that can cause issues right now.

      1. oh yes, roller coaster tycoon!

   3. Also, a lot of people in my company just have an iPad at home, no real computer at all. The only reason we have a desktop is because my husband used to play World of Warcraft.

6. Hmm. this is a blatant knockoff of a hydroflask. I’m not thrilled about supporting the chinese knockoff industry- I’d rather save to buy the real hydroflask.

   1. Same. Also, Hydroflask and S’well are the only metal bottles I’ve had that don’t make the water taste funny.

7. NYC people — are public schools still open there?

   1. No. Also google would tell you this.

      1. Yea, this was a major news story yesterday even outside of New York

   2. No.

8. Sooo I started TTC about two weeks before sh$t hit the fan. At this point, I can’t really get my IUD put back in, and I guess I could already be pregnant. Last week, I did not think this was going to be bad enough that it would affect my TTC, but now I’m concerned about getting access to the healthcare I would need… and wondering if I should go find some condoms for the time being (assuming I can even find them anywhere). Thoughts? The flip side is that the idea of having a baby was at least making this quarantine period seem more palatable… and at least it’s a bit easier to turn down commitments where there is alcohol, etc.

   Also– I have already asked my doctor about this last week, though I am sure her guidance may have changed by this point. She did not tell me to stop, she just said they recommend pregnant women to use the same precautions as during flu season.

   1. It very much depends on your time window. If I was 38 and TTC, this would not stop me. But as a 31 yr old, I’m putting the goalie back up until things settle out – not necessarily until the virus is fully under control, but until things reach an equilibrium and I can be assured that there will be enough medical supplies and doctors for a difficult pregnancy as I have time to wait a few months.

      1. Honestly, I think you’re fine with the medical supplies. There’s not a lot of overlap there.

   2. If you’re under 35, I would probably start using condoms and yes you can easily find them. It’s my primary method of birth control. I have a lot of friends that are pregnant now and very freaked out about is they will get medical care, especially during labor and delivery, when hospitals become overrun with Covid patients.

   3. One thing to keep in mind is that the bay area shelter in place article above says routine doctors visits should be cancelled. If you’re not in the bay area, I still wouldn’t assume this kind of thing won’t happen where you are. So that means routine maternity care may be an issue if you do conceive.

      Another concern is that there is bound to be a mini baby boom 9 months from now. That can affect everything from the crowdedness of maternity wards to class sizes.

      If it were me, I’d put the goalie back in place.

      1. People are going to keep getting pregnant until the end of time and there will be medical care available for them.

         1. We are quickly nearing the point that anything other than emergency care will be unavailable for 4-8 weeks, if not longer. If you think differently, you’re not in an impacted area. Yet.

            1. every elective surgery i know of (friend or family) has been cancelled. this has included: ACL repair, hip replacement, endometrosis surgery, another hip surgery that isn’t a replacement, benign tumor removal

            2. No, we won’t.

               I am on maternity leave. Every single appointment I had, except for the actual delivery, was at my doctor’s office, which is not located in a hospital. The waiting room is plenty spacious. An OB-GYN cannot provide medical care for pneumonia. There’s no reason to repurpose her office for COVID-19 patients. It would actually kill more people to forgo medical care than would be killed by the virus.

            3. My spouse, an OB-gyn, is absolutely on backup call for COVID19 cases, should all the ER / infectious disease docs be full up.

         2. You’re crazy. Do you have any idea what’s happening in Italy? There’s no medical care available for anyone who isn’t dying of Covid-19. And Italy’s healthcare system is better than the US’s.

            1. Is it really true that people in Italy are giving birth at home alone now? I couldn’t find anything that supported that.

            2. This doesn’t sound accurate. Hospitals are overwhelmed but I don’t think laboring women are being told to go home.

            3. I heard that bodies > ventilators, but not this. Not even remotely.

            4. I’m not sure about Italy, but I have a couple friends in the Bay Area who are super pregnant right now and are planning home births with the full support of their OBs. To be fair, these are low risk pregnancies and they’re not first time moms, so the home birth risks are comparatively low. It’s not just about hospital beds, but also about the risks of catching the virus if you’re hospitalized. Even though mortality rates for 30-somethings and babies seem really low so far, if your baby gets the virus it’s an automatic NICU stay, which a lot of people want to avoid. Personally, I wouldn’t get pregnant right now.

            5. Sure some people might want to labor at home, but it’s not the same thing as “There’s no medical care available for anyone who isn’t dying of Covid-19.” L&D is also pretty isolated from an ER or ICU. Let’s not spread false rumors.

            6. My understanding is that Italy has very little available primary care, generally.

      2. I doubt typical pregnancy appointments are counted as “routine” – each regular appointment is probably essential to check the progress of the baby and health of the mother – I am scared to think of the amount of preeclampsia cases that would be missed if people skipped routine maternity appointments.

         1. Exactly. The “routine” visits that can be postponed for a bit are things like annual eye exams, teeth cleaning for people with no dental problems, annual Pap smear for someone who has never had an issue, etc. Not checks along a pregnancy.

   4. 14 weeks here. A week and a half ago, my OB’s guidance was to take normal flu season precautions (eg, avoid sick people and wash my hands frequently). Now she’s saying to stay home unless absolutely necessary to buy food or get medical care and avoid pretty much all gatherings of people.

      1. So, she’s telling you what literally everyone else in the world is being told rn.

9. They are having the first virus vaccine testing in Seattle today. Won’t help everyone or enough people at once but it’s progress.

10. Social distancing for equestrians–obviously shows, etc. are cancelled, but what about just regular riding? Our barn is bleaching bathroom/wiping all handles with chlorox wipes twice a day and I feel like when you have your own horse and tack and don’t get too close to people (which, if you’re on a horse, you obviously aren’t), that’s fine, but my husband is still questioning if I should go riding. What’s everyone doing?

    1. Stay the f home. Everyone wants an excuse why they are special. You aren’t. If it isn’t essential don’t do it.

       1. Horses and other animals need care, including exercise, and it’s essential.

          1. That wasn’t her question.

             1. Sure, but I’m guessing it’s a factor. If she doesn’t exercise her horse, who is going to? Is that person more or less at risk?

             2. Oh no! A horse won’t be exercised. I can’t exercise either as much as I used to, but I’ll live and so will the horse.

             3. Really, Lauren? Do you know anything about horses and how to responsibly care for an animal? Good god you’re rude.

    2. I’m in the Bay Area and we’re about to get a shelter in place order, but before that, I was planning to continue with 2x a week lessons even though I have health conditions. I felt comfortable enough doing so because of the limited social contact. However, I was starting to get concerned about shared brushes, etc., and there was a chance I would have changed my mind. If I had my own horse and could ride when others weren’t around, I think I would have continued without that concern.

    3. Go riding! Outdoor activities, sunshine and fresh air are a great idea. Unless you’re actually quarantined, there’s no reason to sequester in your house.

       1. This!

    4. I went to the barn yesterday, and just stayed at least six feet from everyone and washed my hands periodically. I have all my own (so much!) stuff – in a weird way, it was a relief to step into the tack room in my locked trailer, because I know that’s one place that there’s probably no coronavirus, haha. The only thing that would concern me really is – what if you fall off and get hurt badly enough to need medical attention? So I’d maybe pass on riding a horse that was a bit spicy…

    5. I went in yesterday and will go back later this week. My barn has asked that we use a sign up sheet to not overlap too much, and it’s a small barn to start with. They have asked that we limit the barn to riders only – no family, friends or casual visitors, and they have Purell everywhere. I think they have cancelled the lessons for kiddos, but all the people who board horses are still coming in, because the horses need to be turned out and cared for. I went on a trail ride yesterday so it was all blissfully corona-free and honestly so nice to be out in the woods.

    6. Our barn has restricted access to owners only, and limited access to common tack up areas etc. We keep our tack by our horses’ stalls now. All lessons are canceled. Everything is carefully wiped down and sanitized.

       A trail ride in the woods sounds so divine right now.

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