Okay.
Someone tested positive for the antigen of COVID in the office. I don't really know what that means (and this in itself meant that I am still uninformed despite us being in quarantined for more than a year now) but of course, hearing something like this will concern you.
I feel like I am not someone to spread rumors because I don't really like doing that. Also, rumors are unfounded stories, right? I don't spread shit like that because it's defamatory and something that I have a first hand experience so I don't sit with that. Anyway, the reason I am writing this is because of what is happening right now in the office.
I have an interaction with the said person who tested positive. She was situated in the area where all of the people who have printing needs go to. I even sat with her in the shuttle. Although I was wearing a mask and a face shield, there are still a lot of things that can go wrong in that situation because of how the virus move around (as it is still not that well understood).
The test of the girl was released yesterday and yet there were no formal announcement made. I just found out about this when one of the staff from Admin mentioned it to our own business group admin. She told me because I was present with her in the office the day I reported and the day she tested positive. The first thought that came to me was the people I have possibly exposed to the virus. It's not that I don't care about myself but I know I am covered (I'm gonna sue their asses, lol, jk, or not) but what about the delivery drivers? The locals ates and kuyas that I have bought food from? My landlady that I gossiped with every day at home? So of course, what I did is to ask my immediate superiors for the test as well.
HR did not take that well, I supposed, because the admin staff was reprimanded for telling us. I was mind blown by this reaction because, wtf? I know that you want to make sure that she's really positive but by that time, did they not think that the others who had contact with this person already communicated and had physical interactions with a couple more people and these people also have their own interactions and so on and so forth? This is probably the reason why the virus is spreading uncontrollably because the symptoms won't immediately show at day 1 (or some can even be asymptomatic) so people just do their usual thing.
I am not an alarmist. I don't even discriminate the person who tested positive. I just want to make sure that I am informed so I will not spread it further if I have it. As I always say, it is better to be safe than sorry with this. A 2-million peso hospital bill is not something that I want others to suffer (especially our front liners). I feel like I am not being an asshole for asking that.
I hope your company has a better response than this. As of now, mine still hasn't release any statements or whatsoever. We don't even have any protocols yet about this situation. I wonder where our Safety officers are....