I'm a RN in the ER, and I've largely avoided this thread because, well it's a bike site and I've already stepped away from some other sites of interest due to these convos. I will say that compared to 2020, this isn't even remotely in the same ballpark. I will also say that a lot of policies made/being made as of late are head-scratchingly bad. NYS just mandated that all HCWs get boosters; the boosters don't really do anything for transmission (as the testing numbers show), and most of us have had Covid, and were mandated to get the vaccine (self included). According to his exalted Covdiness, Fauci, that makes us "bulletproof." So the booster mandate thing is silly.
Further, ALL vaccines that require boosters first require you get your titers checked. Except this time. Because, science.
Or something. Additionally, we are being sent back to work after 5 days of testing positive, this despite the latest sciences saying that you are infectious 6-10 days out. Again, science.
Lastly, CA has just "allowed" HCWs to return to work if Covid+. To put that insanity into perspective; you will lose your job if you are unvaccinated because you are a danger to your patients, but you can be vaccinated and treat patients if you are Covid+. Yet again, science.
So, was it bad, horrific? Yes. Is it agenda-driven and out of control now? Also yes. Both are true, and both are killing my profession. Use your masks, get your vaccines, isolate in your basement, whatever you feel you need to do to feel safe and protect those you care about. But don't put your head in the sand about the reality of the policies being forced on all of us, regardless of ideology; we are in dangerous times, the virus is not in the top 5 on that list, at least right now.
There's plenty of science-y stuff I'd be happy to discuss, so from here on in that is where I will try to keep my participation in this thread.