i sit on the board of a company in a US state known for its kareny aggravation

we just had to shut the whole office because an employee THINKS she has cov because she has a 99 degree fever and body aches.

we paid for a test. it was negative.

she is still convinced it's covid

per state regs, everyone in the office was wearing a mask.

per state regs, the office was "distanced" and running in reduced shifts.

much of the workspace is a clean room.

but now, despite all this we have to clear the whole place out and test everyone.

we will, of course, pay for this and are concerned about our employees' health, but can anyone seriously tell me that in past years this fact pattern would have led to anything at all beyond a call to see how she was feeling and an offer to pick up some groceries?

we'll have to have the whole place cleaned/disinfected over the weekend because a healthy 25 year old who tested negative for covid and has mild, generic symptoms is "sure she has it" because of a relentless barrage of fear mongering and misreporting.

this is what it's come to.

we're pile-driving the economy and, with no small irony in this case, actually impeding medical innovation that seeks to serve some of those at highest risk for covid.

we just had a a board conversation about an employee cold and how we have to shut the place down over it.

is this the "new normal"?

companies must cease operations and do a panic drill over a 99 degree fever?

last year that was "send uber eats w/ some chicken soup" not "do a $20,000 deep clean of a climate controlled clean room

is the US supposed to function this way?