Coronavirus spreads. But don't panic! (topical thread)

[Tres Leches]

My work announced today that we should not expect to go back to our offices to work before January 2021. I'm glad to hear this and won't have to worry about my kid being home alone all day while school campuses are closed for the time being. I'm hoping I'll get to work from home on a permanent basis even after our office reopens.

When our office closed, it happened very quickly. Everybody was nervous and glum about the pandemic. My manager was very kind and made sure I was one of the first people out because my daughter's school was already closed. She and our network administrator helped me load my computer equipment into my car and I was beside myself with fear, almost crying. I muttered something about feeling like I would never be back in the office. My manager said "it'll be ok, it's just for a few weeks." That was March.

-Teresa

my wife never will go back. The building they were in is being sold and they are consolidating offices. One look at the layout and she said nope. Everyone was so close together that it would be masks all the time, and still people would get sick from whatever was going around.
She misses her peeps, but they try to talk on the phone daily.

Ironically, we're consolidating offices too and if/ when I go back to the office, it will be in a different office. Word on the street is the cubicles are smaller with low walls, and people will be sitting closer together. Many of my coworkers are conservative minded and I'm worried they won't take masks or social distancing seriously. That and the chronically loud talkers make me want to work from home permanently. I'm hopeful they'll let me since I'm a senior employee.

-Teresa