Seconding the hating this fucking covid. I heard last night from a friend (shall be referred to as "J") that the dispatch center where I used to work and J still does notified them via a vague email that someone who works there tested positive and was last in the building July 19th.

They were told not to "gossip" about who it might be. Considering that it's one huge room that is constantly occupied around the clock and where social distancing is impossible...of course everyone is kinda freaking out. They are all supposed to be masked at all times...while talking on the phone to callers and dispatching police/fire/medical. J says that mask compliance is spotty at best. She has a decent idea of who it probably is, and that person has a sister who also works there and is now off the future schedule. But the sister was at work yesterday and overlapped by several hours with J...who is now freaking out (understandably.)

J was also one of the three people taking care of my cats while I'm out of town. For two evenings next weekend. She's isolating outside of work, but still reporting to work unless she becomes symptomatic. Wants to know if I still want her to come over and feed my cats. I honestly don't know. On the one hand, it would be her (masked) coming into a house empty of humans to feed two cats and scoop litter boxes, and AFAIK the current understanding of viral persistence on surfaces is not a concern. But there are also cases of domestic cats catching the Covid from their peoples. So could my cats become vectors for other cat-carers? My knee-jerk reaction is that I'll just find other coverage for those visits....that seems best, right? I just don't even know these days what to say.

Also I was on a place two days ago and have a sore throat today. Trying not to freak out. I usually get a sore throat sleeping in different places due to low ambient humidity (I sleep with a humidifier at home) and new allergens. My eyes are also super puffy yesterday and today. I'm in my mom's three bedroom townhouse, masked except when I'm in the guest room/bathroom. But of course in terror of giving the covid to my 73 yo mom going into surgery on Wednesday. Ack.

I also get a sore throat sleeping in a different place. You are being diligent about masking and hand cleansing, so I wouldn't worry about the sore throat. (yes I know we are all in a constant state of worry!!) Also, any time I am away from my super moist Florida I snore and get a sore throat.

On the cats, that really seems super low risk. Again, if you feel she is being diligent about precautions then I would leave the cat care plan in place.

if he needs a pitstop, Laura I can give you my #. I have a closed yard where skinner could pee/poop roam off leash and a clean/safe bathroom and cold water.

Can you take your temperature, erin? If it's normal that would've reassuring. Certainly sounds like allergies.

As for the cats, what I read was that they could potentially catch the virus from humans but couldn't pass it to humans, so wouldn't be vectors.

Could you and/or your friend get tested? It's still a wait for the results but would eventually make for less uncertainty...

I might look into testing tomorrow if I still feel iffy. No elevated temp so that's reassuring. I know my Dr (in OR) knows nothing about the testing/screening restrictions in VA so it'll be an onerous tast for sure.

I'm sincerely hoping that the workplace offers free, convenient testing for every employee who was exposed. It's challenging, given the 24 hr nature of the workplace so they can't just have a mobile testing unit show up and get everyone in one go, but seems like something that should happen when they are still requiring everyone who was possibly exposed to continue showing up for work until/unless they become symptomatic.

J jumped through all the hurdles for testing in OR a couple weeks ago before visiting a compromised family member and says it was a huge PIA, took a week to get an appointment to show up and wait for 8 hours in her car in a hospital parking lot, and the bill hasn't come in yet so no idea what the out of pocket cost even is. She has "good" insurance so it'll be covered to some extent, but no one seems to know if it'll be billed as diagnostic or lab work or copay or coinsurance...yeah. ^Loving that Covid life^ ;P

I might look into testing

CVS Pharmacy might be an option: [link]

Yikes Erin. Here you can sign up for city drive-through testing (usually appointments a few days out, though they supposedly have walk ins too) or through your doctor, or I even know a place in my neighborhood doing walk in tests for $99 (they don't take insurance but generally have next day results). I still haven't gone though. But yes seems like they ought to have lots of testing given the importance of your former workplace!

I'm now watching the NWSL championship. This has been so poorly advertised and so annoying that they showed most of the games at weird times and on CBS all access (so $$) but at least today is on CBS even if it's a breakfast game.

Yeah, that does sound like a situation where workplace provided testing should happen.

It infuriates me that testing is not a free and widely available thing. It's just so obvious! AARGH

if he needs a pitstop, Laura I can give you my #.

Thank you. I appreciate that. I may take you up on it during my return trip at the end of October. He has found a couple dog parks along the route so far. He'll be able to let the dog run at the park next to his sister's place too.

Really grateful to be where testing is easy to find and free.