I'm "sofa king" angry...

[PCIntern]

After I sold my dental practice I went to work for the new owner in not just my previous location which turned into a whole story which someday I will relate here on DU, but also at another location in a more distant part of Philadelphia. One day last week I come into the office and one of the receptionists is missing. So I asked the two receptionists who were sitting up front where is so-and-so? There was a hesitation and the chief cook and bottle washer said oh she’s out sick and the other one said almost simultaneously she has Covid. The head honcho gave her subordinate a stare to kill, and I said really, when was someone going to tell me this? The head lady said to me that HIPAA precludes informing people as to exactly who is sick in the workplace. I responded yes that’s true, but morality dictates that you at least inform us that someone is testing positive or has Covid. We work in a very tight situation here and I just had lunch next to her the day before she wound up taking her self to the hospital.

So I went in the back and the other two doctors there were having coffee and I said to them did you know so-and-so has Covid and she’s been in the hospital? They replied no they had no idea and were actually wondering where she was. One of the assistants said at that moment I guess you guys weren’t in on the group chat this weekend. I replied what group chat?

So therefore, not only was I not informed as the doctor in the office, but there was actually a concerted effort to prevent any of the doctors from learning that there was a full-blown case of Covid. Further questioning revealed that we have no fewer than three unvaccinated staff members in the office. I went absolutely ballistic and said to the two of them who were there, since the third was in the hospital, you need to get vaccinated immediately for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that you are risking catastrophe and Mayhem with patients and the ancillary staff. I realized I was talking to a wall and said to them OK, do what you want to do or don’t do it but if you get sick, really sick, before you get to the hospital I suggest you read the Philadelphia inquirer article which you can search on the amputations which are occurring all over the city due to Covid affecting the clotting mechanism in quite a few individuals. You might particularly be interested in the triple amputee who was featured in the article. Then I walked away and I am steaming angry.

I hate to say this, but I really think we’re doomed. If you can’t get through to healthcare people en masse that this is a serious issue then you can’t get through to the sufficiently large body politic such that we could minimize or illuminate the threat to the society. As my father of blessed memory used to say: idiots everywhere!

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Convincing the devil to take the high road has never been more difficult

If amputation and death doesn't grab their attention, what have you got? No Door Dash?

[TheBlackAdder]

29. I stopped going to our dentist because he doesn't wear a mask and the hygienist is a MAGAt.

.

She's cleaning my teeth, and while I'm in the chair she mentions that she's anti-vax. She at least wore a cheapie blue mask that does a little, not wearing an N95 or KN95 under it. While she's scraping, she tells me she and her whole family got COVID and a couple were put in the hospital, one was serious.... but is wasn't that bad!

She blew it off and said that she's got the anti-bodies now.

.

[Evolve Dammit]

63. I would have walked right out

[2Gingersnaps]

74. So, would it have been rude to mention that people who had it before are still getting it?

Not that she would listen.

When I was in nursing school the running joke was "do you know the difference between a C- nurse and an A+ one? Nothing, they have the same degree. I worked as an aide in a nursing home to make sure I had the right stuff for RN, until this hit I would never have believed this many medical professionals, EMT's, lab techs, are seriously that negligent. They were taught better, this is ignorance and negligence.

[Sherman A1]

2. Talked with my friend this morning who works in the grocery business here in St.Louis

from which I retired about 5 years ago. She told me that a customer wearing no mask came up to her in the aisle asking about the location of the Covid tests. You just can't fix stupid.

By the way they were out as the Covid tests had all been shoplifted the previous day.

[Old Crank]

3. I'm with you

We are doomed. If this doesn't get you the climate will.
Just a nation of morons.

[riverbendviewgal]

4. Isn't it the law to report covid cases?

And contact those who may have been expose?

[paleotn]

11. Generally, yes on infectious diseases. And then there's OSHA regs....

5(a)(1) specifically. The General Duty clause requiring employers to provide a work environment safe from recognized hazards, plus others. We've been down this road before with blood born pathogens in the 80's and 90's.

[riverbendviewgal]

17. So nothing gets done?

The dental office does nothing? And that is ok?

[paleotn]

21. Depends....

Federal OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is usually pretty good about such things, but they've got to know about it first. There's millions upon millions of employers and workplaces and it's not like OSHA is "all knowing." If no one speaks up, unsafe conditions can go on for ages. Same with state OSHA.

As far as state reporting laws and other covid mandates, again, it depends on the state and who's running the enforcement mechanism. Mask mandates are a case in point. VT mask mandates where I live for one. The vast majority of businesses complied, but not all. Internal enforcement by one convenience store chain was spotty at best. Some of their stores were following the mandate, some weren't. We stopped at one of their outlets in St. Johnsbury in summer of 2020 and I notice that two "suits" were running the registers. Obviously managerial and not local staff. All other employees were masked up and acting a bit odd. Signage was in place reading roughly "no mask, no service." My better half said "that was weird." My responses was "that's what happens when the state guys in Montpelier read them riot act." The state responded in no uncertain terms, but only after they probably received complaints.

[Ms. Toad]

28. Generally, no.

Thanks to a lot of free-dumb people who seem to have the ability to get laws passed.

BUT - even when they do, contact tracing often takes days and is a very frustrating process.

Here's a paraphrase of the tracing script:

[call from an unknown, out-of-state tracing service which many people won't answer]

Hi, this is so-and-so calling on behalf of [business] contact tracing. We have been informed that on [date] you were in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID at [general location, time].

Are you aware of being in close contact with someone with COVID?

If yes: Can you please identify that person.

Do you recall being in the location identified on that date and time? If so, please identify everyone you remember being present for more than 15 minutes who was within 6 feet of you.

If you are vaccinated, get tested on [date + 5 days]. If you have symptoms get tested. If you are not vaccinated, quarantine for 10 days. If you test positive or develop symptoms report them.

Have a nice day.

They generally cannot identify who tested positive.

[Phoenix61]

5. We are not doomed, we are vaccinated.

They, on the other hand, are in for some challenges they have brought on themselves.

[Atticus]

6. THAT is why I continue to hope that the twinges from and rough edge on

one molar do not mean I am losing a crown.

If it breaks, I'll have to mask up and go but, until then, no way.

[Earth-shine]

7. I am astounded at the number of people I know, whom I previously thought were sensible types,

who have not and will not get vaxxed.



It's changing my opinions of people.

It's sad I have to ditch so many friends.

[70sEraVet]

15. Besides the people who have TOLD you they will not get vaxxed,

think about how many of your friends have LIED to you, Aaron Rodgers style, saying they got the shot but didnt.
Your opinions of people may change yet again, for the worse!

[paleotn]

22. Same here.

[TexasTowelie]

8. I know some respiratory therapists

that are either only partially vaccinated or not vaccinated at all. The therapist that had one vaccine wants to get a medical exemption because the shot "made her boobs hurt." The other RT who had no vaccinations had COVID already and is trying to get a medical exemption. While they wear their masks for home visits, I still wouldn't want them in my household if I were a client and knew their vaccination status. Sadly, these are the medical professionals that we are trusting our lives with and they are just as likely to believe the conspiracies as those without any medical or scientific knowledge.

[MyMission]

9. The receptionists and hygienists at my dentist were not vaccinated

So I cancelled my dental cleaning in August.

When I called before the appointment to verify their vaccination status, I was told they weren't required to get the vaccine, invoked hipa. I pressed on this, if the staff was vaccinated they'd verify, so obviously they weren't....Then the receptionist said to me "well there's no proof the vaccine is effective, because vaccinated still can catch covid." I was appalled. Sounds like your office has staff that don't believe in science, just like mine.

I've been going to this dentist for almost 20 years, but I never followed up with him, to inform him. I would have assumed at least he's vaccinated, but now I assume nothing. I also wonder what your staff is telling people if people call to inquire about vax status.

I agree. This doesn't bode well.

[keithbvadu2]

16. Invoked hipaa

They were falsely using hipaa as an excuse.

It concerns your doctor releasing your personal medical info but the individual can be asked and can freely give their own medical info.

The individual can also refuse but that is a personaL decision, not a hipaa matter.

[MyMission]

34. They would not disclose the vaccination status of their staff

And used hipa as an excuse.
I expect if they were vaxed they would have disclosed that information.
I got the receptionist to basically admit that over several calls.

I should speak with the dentist about it. But I've been looking for a new dentist who's office staff is vaccinated.

[wnylib]

48. I am so glad that NY requires vaccination for all health care workers

But sometimes I wonder if a few of them in small practices are not getting them and no one is checking.

I dropped my hairdresser when she said she is not vaccinated and will not get one. So now I trim my own hair.

I am perpetually hoping that I don't need any hospital care for anything, no matter how mild, because even hospital employees get careless about how their masks fit and when and how they wear them. I wouldn't want to need hospital treatment for anything, anyway, but these days, even a minor health issue can become a major one if exposed.

[Grasswire2]

60. YES

I went to a Gentle Dental to inquire about an extraction. I asked if the techs working on me would be vaccinated.

Receptionist said "You can't ask that. It's a HIPPA question."

No, it's not.

I said so, turned on my heel and left.

[Evolve Dammit]

64. Good for you.

[csziggy]

36. My dentist's office confirmed that everyone in their office was vaccinated

The husband of one of their employees got COVID and they closed down for two weeks. Since he and all employees had been vaccinated, he had a mild case and recovered quickly. They sent out a second email when they re-opened with that information and reiterated that ALL employees were fully vaccinated AND boosted.

This was about three weeks before my regular cleaning so I was very reassured to hear this.

[Haggard Celine]

10. Yeah, we're doomed.

Refusal to take the vaccine is rather common in the medical field. I got out of the hospital last December and I had home health nurses and physical therapy coming by the house for a couple of months.

They sent different people each time, so I saw a variety of nurses and therapists. The vaccine was coming out then and they were eligible to get it, so I asked each one if they were going to get it, and about half of them said no and then they said they weren't ever going to get it.

If we can't even get nurses to see how important vaccination is, especially since they see so many elderly people and others who have weak immune systems, how can we ever get the ignorant people to see its importance?

[The Jungle 1]

12. They are not getting the vaccine because of politics!!!

How stupid is that.
My wife is a nurse. She retired. Not everyone can do that but it was an option for us.
Same reasons. She worked in a senior home and many of the support people refused to get the vaccine.
What was interesting is that the company told these folks they could not work there without the vac. The pay was low so they quit. Numerous of them quit. My wife saw this coming and knew the place would fall apart if people quit. She did not want to be part of that.
So really there was no way out for Management.

[summer_in_TX]

75. Politics yes, but deeper and darker, the deliberate

propaganda and disinformation.

Wealthy liberals like Michael Bloomberg should be asked to strongly considering funding a counter propaganda effort to get the truth out about what Dems have done, are doing, and want to do.

The GOP's propaganda has convinced many that Dems are socialists. We need repeated messaging about who we are, what we stand for.

Repeated messaging works!

This was written back in August, but remains highly relevant still: we urgently need our own propaganda (a.k.a. the truth), and can encourage those doing it and spread their messages.


https://upine.medium.com/time-to-solve-our-propaganda-problems-like-the-military-does-e97eda71ba7b

[The Jungle 1]

76. We are socialist, so are the republicans.

We pick the socialism we like. Public schools repukes like. Healthcare for all Americans they don't like. SS we like. Feeding and housing children they don't like. Massive defense spending we like. Minority school districts they don't like, Philadelphia and Reading. Vaccines we like. A woman making decisions about her body they don't like.
When you explain socialism to Americans they are a bit shocked how much socialism we have.

[summer_in_TX]

77. True, that.

But before socialism was a concept, that of the common good existed, with deep roots In American history even predating the American Revolution and in the Preamble of the Constitution. Common good’s meaning is contained in its name and its name implies good that only benefits the wealthy is excluded. So it has no negative association for anyone anywhere on the political spectrum.

Socialism lacks those advantages. Plus it is connected historically to horrific injustice and human rights abuses in the USSR, Cuba and Venezuela. It is always able to be linked negatively in many minds because of that.

We’d be wise to use “common good” as the normal term for concepts like Medicare for all, etc.

I feel sure GOP strategists hope we never realize that.

[The Jungle 1]

78. I guess I never gave any thought to the "common good" in our Constitution.

The meaning is clear.
USSR, Cuba and Venezuela are examples of bad socialism. There are also examples of great socialist democracy.
These countries maintain the advantages of capitalism.

I really do believe the "common good" statement in our Constitution is important to remember.
The line I love to use with the right is socialist corporate welfare. They do not like that line.

[summer_in_TX]

79. The loud voices on the Right ensure "socialism" is

forever defined in the public with the bad versions of socialism. They've engrained it very deep and I don't think there's any hope of dislodging that idea of socialism from the American psyche.

Even with the great socialist democracies like Norway to counter that image, there's nothing advocates can do to change that deeply embedded lens that most Americans hear the word socialism through. They don't think of Norway, and they do think of the USSR, Cuba, and Venezuela. Fox News and others make sure that happens, keeping the cognitive link fresh and strong.

"Socialist corporate welfare" is the perfect description of what corporations rely on, for sure.

[The Jungle 1]

80. Please use the socialist corporate welfare line every chance you get.

[The Wizard]

13. Allowing the stupid and selfish to

do what they damn well please in the face of a pandemic is a formula for disaster. Time to open the FEMA camps.

[paleotn]

14. Your employer isn't in compliance with OSHA regs....

right off the bat...the general duty clause. Plus, if an employee freely reveals their vaccination or infection status outside of a confidential system employers use to track such things, HIPPA is mute.

[Scrivener7]

18. You are in a terrible spot. I feel for you. Stay well.

[Joinfortmill]

19. Wow, so sorry. Please try to stay safe.

[Trueblue Texan]

20. This situation is far more common in health care than most would guess...

There are multiple nurses in our agency who refuse to vaccinate. I even had one tell me masks don't work. Jesus F-ing Christ! A nurse who is an anti masker? How does she feel about wearing a mask around TB patients?! This is a terrifying mentality in health care workers. I have a friend (by very close family association) who is a nurse practitioner. She has underaged children and even though her own dad just died of COVID, she is leaving it up to the children to decide if they get vaccinated. She got vaccinated but hasn't had time to get boosted. The other day she tested positive for COVID. STILL she is leaving it up to her children to decide about vaccines.

Can it get any crazier than that? Haven't people lost enough loved ones and fellow Americans?

[HariSeldon]

30. I wish more would do like the WA governor, Inslee

https://www.governor.wa.gov/VaccineMandateFAQ

[Farmer-Rick]

23. I need to get dental work done but refuse to go to offices that aren't vaccinated

I live in the heart of Trump country. So, I've called each dental office and asked if they require their staff to be vaccinated. Oh....the silly, stupid and nonsensical answers I get. Not a single office just said yes and left it at that. The Yeses I get are usually qualified with but we can't mandate it, or this is America and we can't force them or Yes but not the receptionists.

Then some offices want to lecture me on being afraid or rediculus, or UnAmerican.

So, I still have not got the work done. I refuse to have unvaccinated hands in my mouth. I've started calling offices 2 towns away. I may have to drive quite a ways to find a dentist.

[mgardener]

24. Shouldn't they have notified

The patients she had come in contact with?
How irresponsible.

[mgardener]

25. Shouldn't they have notified

The patients she had come in contact with?
How irresponsible.

[Locrian]

26. the chief cook and bottle washer

huh???

[Hekate]

47. You know what he means. Or has the generation gap really gotten that wide? It was very common...

… when I was growing up and far into my adulthood. It means the person who does everything in the diner.

It’s humorous, and was always meant to be, with just a soupçon of irony.

[Locrian]

55. No - I seriously had no idea what it meant -nt

[Hekate]

57. Okay -- now you do

[c-rational]

27. I feel for you PCIntern. I am headed to my dentist for completion of a root canal, and the .

hygienist I have know for 30 years is not vaxxed. She had Covid and feels that is the best vaccine. Even the dentist said to her last week if everyone got vaxxed we could put this behind us. Willful ignorance or just stupidity. It does not bode well.

[iscooterliberally]

31. With free dumb comes great irresponsibility.

My wife works in a medical lab and swabs people for covid along with running testing machines. We're both in our 50s, but many of the people she works with are in their 20s and 30s. They've all had covid multiple times and are constantly out sick. They won't get vaccinated either. We're both fully vaccinated and boosted. Knowing what I know, I do not want to spread this shit to anyone else who might die, or be permanently maimed from it. I'm lucky that I work alone in a small warehouse bay and don't have to interact with anyone. I wish people today would learn the difference between freedom selfishness. I'm sorry you had to go through that. I skipped my dentist appointments for a year until the vaccine came out. I hope the un-vaccinated people in your office come around and step up for others. My veterinarian fired her office staff that refused to be vaccinated. She just got over cancer treatment and threw the gauntlet down on them.

[2naSalit]

32. My saying is:

Fucking imbeciles.

But you're probably nicer than I am when pissed.

I hope that you can resolve the issue for yourself, at least. The legal aged idiots will have to decide for themselves even if it means that they are also deciding for others.

[PatrickforB]

33. I'd retire in a heartbeat, but guess what?

I have three more years before both me and my wife are eligible for Medicare.

Seriously.

Fucking monetized healthcare. We can squander trillions on forever wars and tax cuts, but WHERE IS OUR HEALTHCARE? WHERE IS OUR DENTAL CARE?

And why in the hell to the Republicans and other crazies keep challenging vaccine mandates in the workplace? That's the way to go, because PC, you can sue this business if you get COVID and they might lose and have to pay you a settlement. There is huge litigation risk for businesses around that issue, and many businesses want Biden's mandate imposed because it gives them cover if they do not employ 100 to impose one anyway.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

35. I'm pretty sure that HIPAA privacy thing only applies

to her doctor not telling others. Her co-workers can. So that's a bullshit excuse.

I also wonder why the dental practice didn't have its own vaccine and mask mandate.

[PCIntern]

37. BWAHAHAHA...

If you only knew….🤪

[hay rick]

38. Shocking, not shocking.

This parallels my own experience with dental staff. I scheduled my covid-delayed cleaning in June. The woman on the phone suggested a time/date for the appointment, then I added that I assumed the hygienist was vaccinated. The response was that I would have to get an appointment with M_____ as none of the other (4-6?) hygienists were vaccinated.

At the time, I was shocked that the practice didn't have a mandate or some very strong incentive in place. Sadly, it all seems very ordinary now.

[Poiuyt]

39. Can your office have a vaccine mandate for all its employees?

Or would they all quit? If they quit, how easy would it be to find replacements?

[PCIntern]

42. It's impossible to replace hygienists now.

Wanna make 125 k a year? Become a competent dental hygienist.

[Poiuyt]

43. Yikes!

I always thought that was a low paying job!

[PCIntern]

44. $55 an hour in some offices

[Poiuyt]

50. I picked the wrong profession!

[colorado_ufo]

41. Any NOLA folks remember Sid Noel

and his TV character, the mad scientist Morgus the Magnificent? Morgus always used to say, "Idiots! All of them - idiots!"

[Hekate]

45. PCI, I am so damn sorry...

My daughter has fallen so far down the rabbit hole — well, she can babble about antibodies with the best of them. She and her 3 kids (ages 17, 11, and 4) are recovering from COVID right now — probably Omicron from the sounds of the symptoms — but she sure didn’t sound so good on the phone. She cured them all with homeopathy, though. 💔💔💔 It occurs to me my heart is broken.

How in seven hells did we get here in the United States of America, 21st century? This is insane.

Hang in there, my friend. Hang in there.

[sarcasmo]

46. Bring out your dead.

[Mabel]

49. Nothing new to report here

I'm sure many people can tell almost the exact same story. I have a niece who is a nurse working for a major hospital, she proudly proclaimed to me when I asked when she was getting the vaccine, that she wasn't going to put that sh*t in her veins. We no longer talk, between the anti-vax BS and Trump I've lost my patience with half my family and half the US population.

[uberblonde]

51. Is this in Northeast Philly?

Because if it is, I doubt they read the Inquirer. They get their "news" from Facebook, Patch, and NextDoor.

[PCIntern]

58. Yes. Exactly.

[malaise]

52. You ought to be angry

This is madness

[DownriverDem]

53. If you have Medicare

they call and bug you all the time.

[druidity33]

54. Do you have exposure notifications in your state?

https://www.google.com/covid19/exposurenotifications/

I'm sorry you have to deal with this. I work in a grocery store... so i get to see the worst in people sometimes. We are a small independent store, but we get at least one maskhole a day. I haven't been to the dentist in over a year because the dental practice i go to won't guarantee i get a vaccinated dentist.

[TNNurse]

56. I have become convinced that civilization will die from stupidity.

[Evolve Dammit]

65. I've felt that way since the Iraq invasion and Hurrican Katrina response. And Vietnam.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

59. The fact that there is no national requirement for everyone working in

a Healthcare situation to be vaxxed & present period negative test results says so much about how totally fucked we, country & world, are.

RWers finally have the power they've always craved and are showing just why we fought so long & hard to deny them that power.

[LuckyLib]

61. What if the dentist's office finds itself empty because patients call in and find out that

there are Covid cases and some folks aren't vaccinated? The dentist sitting on a drop in income for a few weeks might sing a different tune. I call ahead, and verify that folks are vaccinated. I've cancelled appointments. We need to vote with our feet!

[PCIntern]

62. Right you are!

[GP6971]

67. You again???

Bye!!

[PCIntern]

68. That was something else...

Gone but not forgotten…

Better than forgotten but not gone.

[GP6971]

70. Frequent troll.

Been around for a long time.

[Rhiannon12866]

69. Yup!

[GP6971]

71. They sure are a pain!!

[Rhiannon12866]

72. And never anything new!

[GP6971]

73. Same old, Same old.

It never changes. Hope you're doing well!