Retail on the pandemic front.
For two months now the store I manage has been on reduced hours far more than not. We generally have more people out with covid or being sick than working. The people left have been working long hours and doing jobs that they weren't trained for and the stress on everyone including me is tremendous. Physical and mental. I spent yesterday on my day off limping around barely able to walk, hurting in every joint and most muscles. Today was better but not by much. Tomorrow I go in to a 13 hr day with no other managers so any kind of break is just not possible. Im near 50 and this is taking a huge toll on my body. People want to talk about getting rid of mask mandates? I wish we had one. I'm tired of contacting my employees every day to make sure they are ok when they get covid.I dread the day when one of them is not. Mask mandates,,,,, you should be arrested if you don't wear one as far as I am concerned.
Eko.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I've worked through the entire pandemic as an Assistant Mgr for a huge auto parts store. Right before the vaccine became available (Thanksgiving 2020), I lost one of my guys. From sick to gone in less than a week.
Being in NC we have a large amount of maskholes. I had to give up on being the customer mask police when the physical threats started.
These days 80% of my crew acts like the pandemic is over, almost exactly on racial lines. And yet, I have at least 1 person out with the rona on a rotating basis.
When my (maskless, yet vaccinated) manager finally caught it, he was down for 10 days, which left me open to close without help that entire time.
I'm 50+ and feeling the grind like never before. I'm considering being part of the "great resignation", unless they recognize my contributions with REAL money, REAL soon.
I hope it gets easier for you/us, sooner than later.
I haven't been doing much other than working and trying to stay safe in this mess.
I keep a eye out for you when I stop in. If I see you've got a OP, I rec it as proof of life. So check your recs!
You can always kick this and I'll see it too.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/118757231
Love and Hugs Backatcha!
(Thanks for the heart, too!)
Thank you.
Take care of you, K.
Holding you in my heart. These are really hard days. 
I'm so sorry life is like this for you right now. It still shocks me to see & hear all the selfish people who would rather live in an alternate reality then face a horrible, but totally addressable, situation.
Just hold on the best you can.
