One of my technicians just died of Covid

Actually... I had to let him go about a month and a half ago. Because he refused to get the shot. He wasn't particularly inclined to politics. But I know he didn't like Trump and had voted for Biden. Nevertheless he gave me the usual trumpian talking points: "it's an experimental vaccine", "people have died after taking the shot", "it doesn't protect you anyway" and of course, the customary "personal freedom" nonsense. You know me... I tried to argue with him. But he would have none of that. So he didn't leave in the best of terms. As he was walking out I told him that the doors were open for him the moment he took the shot. That didn't convince him. He said that he was 40 years old and had never had so much as a cold. Nobody in his family had any medical conditions whatsoever. So he had decided he would take the risk, and that it was HIS decision... period!

Last week another of my technicians who was close to him told me he was in the hospital. I wrote him to ask how he was doing. I didn't expect he would respond. First, because he was fairly angry when he left. Second because I assumed that, if he had a phone with him, he'd probably either be too sick to respond, or would have run out of battery....

To my surprise, he did respond. He told me he had contracted Covid two weeks after he left the company. He had been really sick, but was doing better now that he was off the respirator. But still had a lot of trouble breathing. Apparently right after he contracted the virus he infected his wife and his 17 year old son, neither of which were vaccinated. His wife passed early in the week. And even though his son had not been hospitalized, he was really worried about him.

Of course he said he didn't know what he was thinking and he now wished he had taken the shot and that he had gotten his family vaccinated.

A few minutes ago his friend texted that he passed this afternoon.

This is the person closest to me who has died of Covid. So I'm a bit shaken up about it. Sort of as if the pandemic had just now become real.

 

Nice anecdote...as doubtful as it is. I'm assuming the wife was a similar age? I better go buy a scratch off, if true.

 

Golem, I'm so sorry, man. As you know, I lost two family members to COVID in January this year. It's tough. My cousin was younger than me. His mom was a senior but she survived the deaths of her first husband (29), three children (29, 34, 44) and a granddaughter (21). She was a strong woman. She was 75.

I don't know why people listen to politicians for medical advice. I just don't get it. And, now this boy (yes, he's almost a man, but still!) has lost TWO parents and for what?

PM me if you need someone to listen. I'm sorry again.

 

True, but that doesn't sound like the case here. He opted to leave his job over his position. He could have given Golem some kind of exemption from his doctor if it was about that. Plus, if his 17 year old is still in school, he is probably required to be vaccinated. They say there is some natural immunity if one has had it and recovered but there haven't been any studies showing how beneficial that is and it doesn't protect against long COVID from my understanding.

This never should have been a partisan issue. It's heart-breaking. It really is (and you know because you listen to your wife when she gets home from the hospital). It did NOT have to be like this.

 

I know many folks who have had it, none who passed, much less two middle aged, back to back.

I just dont buy it, sorry.

 

Perhaps if he had been at work at the time (but ostensibly was not since you discriminated and 'fired' him) he and his wife would not have died as he might not have been where he caught it at, had he been at work.

Do you routinely violate HIPAA laws?

 

Sad story. The son is now an orphan and it is a tragedy all around. What more can you e do or say to convince people?

 

And he might have spread the virus further killing more people

 

I'm glad your son and his family are okay, Ad. I'm very happy to read that. Did they get vaccinated? Was there an outbreak at the school?

 

This might sound harsh but I don't intend it that way. As hard as it is for us to see kids now dying from this, maybe it will be a wake-up call to non-vaxxers and non-maskers. I know masks aren't foolproof or 100% but it's beyond clear the current approach is not working.

It just breaks my heart that somebody will have to lose a child (or know someone who has) before this hits home. No parent should have to bury a child. I would lay down and die instantly if something happened to one of my kids. I can't even think about that.

It simply did NOT have to be this way.

 

How does someone become the sort of person who thinks this is in any way acceptable to think, let alone post? I'm glad I don't understand. I really am.

 

Even a pedestrian understanding of this tells you that it depends on the degree of exposure, the variant, and genertics. Delta is far more contagious and deadly, esp to younger people. It also depends on other factors not understood. Most members of entire families have died in some cases.

I understand that working a cash register at a liquor store gives you an expert opinion. But you are leaping to unfounded conclusions, doctor.

 

Have they since changed their minds about the vaccines?

My understanding of long COVID is it's an after-effect of the more severe COVID cases. I'm crossing my fingers your DIL won't have that.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects.html

Is the vaccine and masks required at your granddaughter's school? What age range if you don't mind?

Where are you? I'm in IL and our kids were out ALL last year and that full school year. They just went back to the classroom a couple weeks ago. Mine are teens now and I'm terrified for them. This is a nightmare that just won't end.

Thanks, a lot, Ad. I appreciate that.

 

Hate in the heart. People like us will never understand it.

 

Only the assumption, that it's about politics, is what's political. The guy in this story was a Biden voter and Golem still refers to it as Trumpian talking points. Amazing since Trump is pro covid-vaccine being he thinks he invented the thing.
Dismissing people in such a way means their real concerns never get properly addressed.

 

I am more curious if he didn't take the virus seriously enough to at least take some precautions.

The only way his firing could at all be a contributing factor is if his job was a low risk environment not warranting such precautions and then he was forced to work in a high risk environment without having time to vaccinate to accommodate the new conditions. Even then, the onus was never truly on Golem. The point of personal freedom is that you are responsible for your own choices.

 

As they say "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it." I saw this quite a bit as a child abuse advocate and a cop (those didn't overlap. I volunteered in the courts for the advocacy position). It's almost like the dysfunction is passed down through the genes or something. It's incredible to witness. Scary as hell too. lol

I also think a lot has to do with our nation's history for not always being "above board" about things. The brain is calibrated for self-preservation so any perceived threat will be outright rejected. It takes a concerted effort to face things we are afraid of in an effort to understand them (which is I why I communicate with people that like Trump. I'll never agree with them but I like hearing their point of view because it makes me a stronger person and it only through hardships that we can grow. One of my favorite quotes is ...

A SMOOTH SEA NEVER MADE A SKILLED SAILOR
https://www.virginiatkd.com/a-smooth-sea-never-made-a-skilled-sailor/