Risk in the age of the horrific

At a job interview, a woman was told by the interviewer that not only had she had Covid, but it had been virulent. "I ended up in the hospital, felt like I couldn't breathe."

The applicant wanted to feign sympathy, but was only feeling fear. 'How do I get out of here?'

The interviewer continued: "But that was months ago. I'm fine now."

Relief?

Another time, an employee questioned a hybrid work policy. "You are to come in more than once a week," she and her colleagues were told in a Zoom call. When she asked what that meant, the manager shot back, "just what I said."

We are living in an age none of us imagined, and the business world is not out to protect us any more than it has protected coal miners from pneumoconioses and silicosis, explosions or chemical hazards.

In 2019, who among us would have considered a food service or reporting job risky, let alone a trip to a largely unmasked Walgreen's or Kroger? At the start of the pandemic, as people masked up and stayed home, there was a communal gasp. Fear was a panacea in the way fear of an imminent tidal wave is. Everyone runs from the beach and hunkers down. There is no dispute.

Then a funny thing happened.

After the initial tidal wave and subsequent illnesses and deaths, and then another tidal wave and its aftermath, etc. etc., the beachgoers decided they had had enough. It was time to par-tay. Like it's 2019. Spring break was back on. Flights to Aunt Margaret's at Thanksgiving were on. The Superbowl was on. The White House Correspondents Dinner was on. Was it time for such a party?

People discuss "Covid fatigue" as if they are discussing a back ache or a trick knee. Covid is not something we have the luxury of being fatigued about. Cancer patients are tired of cancer treatment. Some opt to forgo it, but they are also aware, or should be, that they will likely die sooner rather than later. Some are ok with this. I am not sure the Covid deniers are convinced.

Watching The White House Correspondents Dinner was alternately fascinating and horrifying. I searched the room for masks, finding them mainly on the staff - busboys and busgirls, servers, and so forth - and maybe briefly on a Castro twin, unless I imagined that. Why wasn't everyone in a mask? Now there are cases. As of today, May 6, several positive results - from Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Journalist Jonathan Karl - have been reported. Are we supposed to be surprised? Even the host, Trevor Noah, not-so-jokingly joked that this would be a superspreader.

So where are we supposed to accept risk, and why aren't businesses allowing those who are afraid of death and Long Covid to work from home? Restaurants pivoted during the height of the pandemic. Many of us ordered from Uber Eats or Domino's. Now it's time for servers to rush back to busy restaurants? Here in Connecticut, we are back in the dark orange category, inching up from a lower rate enjoyed just two months ago. I can't count the number of times I've spoken to people, only to have them turn away and cough. Are they bothering to check their Covid status?

The United States should be sending out free Covid tests once a week, not doling them out as stingily as a child with his candy at Halloween. If we tested ourselves once a week - and people would be more apt to do this if it was free - we would bring down case rates in no time. This is far more important, Mr. President, than attending an event where you are spreading disease in the name of journalistic freedom.

By Colin D. Funk, Craig Laferrière, and Ali Ardakani. Graphic by Ian Dennis - http://www.iandennisgraphics.com