When Will You No Longer Take a Covid Test?
Questioning the Kabuki Theatre of Covid Testing
Likely you’ve seen the news that Los Angeles is planning to reissue a mask mandate later this month when the county hits the CDC completely arbitrary "High" community level.
Once again I have to say, "Called It!!" Back in February when the new metrics were announced (as a means to "take the win on Covid" and lift the mask mandates before the SOTU) I predicted the metrics, if followed, would lead to mask mandates returning to blue areas this summer and of course this upcoming Winter.
So many of the comments to this news story ask with incredulity when it all will end? Why any of this is still necessary in July of 2022, 860 days into 15 days to Slow the Spread?
When can we finally put away the mask? or when can we finally stop taking Covid tests? I see this in my own life as well with family still avoiding events and friends avoiding gatherings because their son was feeling ill and they are awaiting the results of a Covid testing.
My question to my friends and anyone else in a similar situation is why would you have your son take a Covid test?
Most of these people will have remarked on how useless the tests are but also seemed to imply that if their children tests positive they will stay home and avoid work/school/etc.. But why?
Regardless of the test results their child is still sick with something. Why is Covid the one disease that we all appear unwilling to risk asymptomatically spreading to others?
Often the excuse is given that it is a company policy to follow CDC guidelines. Well, here in Northern California, we are currently in the "High" community level like LA will soon be, and CDC guidelines recommend masking in all indoor spaces regardless of vaccination status or individual risk. Are companies still requiring we all follow those guidelines too? Why not?
I guess all these questions are to ask why are we all playing along in the Kabuki theatre of Covid testing at all?, especially when most of us seem to recognize the complete absurdity of it.
As I've written before,
So if we are going to remark on how crazy it is to need a Covid test over 2 years into the pandemic, what are we planning to do at year 5 or 10 when we have the sniffles and it could be Covid? When is enough, enough? And if not now, when?
As for what my office does to avoid issues with company policies:
We have an unwritten "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy with regards to Covid. The mantra is "You can't be Covid Positive, if you don't get tested." Essentially the rule is don't show up for work if you are too sick to come, but otherwise no one wants to hear about your Covid problems...
Your mileage may vary, but it's worked for us for over two years now with no issues.
Anyway, 0 and 2…