How are your workplaces coping?

[dicko]

We have been super lucky in WA but we are finding it very hard to recruit staff. An example, 15 months ago I put an ad up on Seek and got 260 applicants. Last month, same ad and got maybe 20.

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

[gormag38]

I work as a chemist at a local water treatment plant in West Michigan. Here we've been partnering with a university and doing weekly analysis on how many copies of COVID genes are present in incoming waste water. It's amazing to see the levels that this new variant has caused. I'll post a small graph that illustrates my point below from when the new variant was just emerging. 

[Corylax18]

11 minutes ago, gormag38 said:

I work as a chemist at a local water treatment plant in West Michigan. Here we've been partnering with a university and doing weekly analysis on how many copies of COVID genes are present in incoming waste water. It's amazing to see the levels that this new variant has caused. I'll post a small graph that illustrates my point below from when the new variant was just emerging. 

Colorado State University has been working on some similar studies and recording similar results in Northern Colorado. Regardless of what any one is saying, this virus isn't gone yet, or even on its way out the door. 

[SCgarman]

26 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

Colorado State University has been working on some similar studies and recording similar results in Northern Colorado. Regardless of what any one is saying, this virus isn't gone yet, or even on its way out the door. 

It will never be gone. It will be with us forever just like the flu and other viruses. It has even been found in white tailed deer according to a report also. 

[Cigar Surgeon]

7 minutes ago, SCgarman said:

It will never be gone. It will be with us forever just like the flu and other viruses. It has even been found in white tailed deer according to a report also. 

There's current research investigating that the source of Omicron may be mice and that the virus passed from humans to mice, mutated, and then passed back to humans.

[dominattorney]

12 minutes ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

There's current research investigating that the source of Omicron may be mice and that the virus passed from humans to mice, mutated, and then passed back to humans.

Off topic, but how on earth would they ever be able to figure that out?

[Cigar Surgeon]

1 minute ago, dominattorney said:

Off topic, but how on earth would they ever be able to figure that out?

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1673852721003738

A brief glance at the paper it looks like there are spike proteins specific to a particular animal and that's how they track how and where it adapted. 

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/12/01/1055803031/the-mystery-of-where-omicron-came-from-and-why-it-matters

The NPR article says they sequence the genome. 

But I'm a cigar guy and a data analyst, so this is all way above my pay grade. 

[dominattorney]

2 minutes ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1673852721003738

A brief glance at the paper it looks like there are spike proteins specific to a particular animal and that's how they track how and where it adapted. 

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/12/01/1055803031/the-mystery-of-where-omicron-came-from-and-why-it-matters

The NPR article says they sequence the genome. 

But I'm a cigar guy and a data analyst, so this is all way above my pay grade. 

Yea. All well and good. But remember this paper?

I find it difficult to believe the spike proteins alone cam generate a time line. But I'm also not a scientist. Pretty impressive if it's all legit. 

[Cigar Surgeon]

4 minutes ago, dominattorney said:

Yea. All well and good. But remember this paper?

I find it difficult to believe the spike proteins alone cam generate a time line. But I'm also not a scientist. Pretty impressive if it's all legit. 

[Corylax18]

48 minutes ago, SCgarman said:

It will never be gone. It will be with us forever just like the flu and other viruses. It has even been found in white tailed deer according to a report also. 

I saw that as well. It seems hard to believe, but what do I know. Scientist talk about the possibility of Chronic wasting disease jumping from Elk and Deer to Humans, but its exceeding rare in reality. I don't even know anyone who has harvested an animal that tested positive for CWD.  

[dominattorney]

1 hour ago, Corylax18 said:

I saw that as well. It seems hard to believe, but what do I know. Scientist talk about the possibility of Chronic wasting disease jumping from Elk and Deer to Humans, but its exceeding rare in reality. I don't even know anyone who has harvested an animal that tested positive for CWD.  

But surely you are aware that CWD is a thing. I've I've animals that didn't look healthy. Also, not the kind of animals you'd waste a tag on. Doesn't surprise thst few people anecdotally know of a harvest infected with it. You'd tend to shoot st the better looking animals. 

[Corylax18]

1 minute ago, dominattorney said:

But surely you are aware that CWD is a thing. I've I've animals that didn't look healthy. Also, not the kind of animals you'd waste a tag on. Doesn't surprise thst few people anecdotally know of a harvest infected with it. You'd tend to shoot st the better looking animals. 

Certainly, no argument there. There is debate about how soon an infected animal starts to show signs after its been exposed. So its theoretically possible to harvest an infected animal without knowing it. Colorado Parks and Wildlife will test any elk or deer, taken anywhere in the state, for no extra charge(its paid for as part of your tags/license fees). There are actually certain units where its mandatory.  

CWD has been found in the Gunnison Elk Herd. But, its about 15,000 head, so the chances of seeing an infected animal are extremely slim. I don't think I've ever seen an animal I thought was infected. 

If it is indeed being transmitted to deer I wonder what the symptoms will be. Or if the meat will be infected. 

[traveller]

17 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

That's my biggest problem. The goal post are moving. As mentioned before, we need to "get lucky" with this next variant and hope its more similar to Omicron than others. The vaccines where supposed to stop this thing, until they didn't. No they are supposed to lower the severity, until they don't. 

Agreed, but what a depressing reality. I hope the newer vaccines being worked on turn out to be more effective. The current crop may be holding the virus at bay, but it seems like we're just treading water. 

The goal posts are moving, because it is a living virus. As the virus evolves the goal posts/guidelines must evolve, as does the scientific understanding, just at a much higher rate then most other healthcare related things, because it is a novel virus. How we treat cancer, our understanding of how to keep our hearts healthy has changed over the years, and people don't consider that moving the goal posts.

[Islandboy]

Construction in Hawaii has been steaming along this whole time, picking up steam even. But material availability and lead times have been steadily worsening, all while costs are rising. So far this hasn’t seemed to discourage our typical clients (high-end residential and hospitality) from entering into contracts - we’re fully booked out at least 2 years - but things are getting downright scary in terms of having the materials to keep projects moving. A Fleetwood slider door is now 9 months out from time of order, we’ve had a bunch of Bosch dishwashers on order since March 2021 and they can’t even give us a projected ETA today. At times it seems it's become way too convenient for suppliers to become complacent in simply saying it’s out of their hands with a shrug of the shoulders, but this is something we can only pass along to our clients as the new paradigm shift in the industry.   

[TobaccoRoad]

23 hours ago, Greenhorn2 said:

Workplace is packed with workers running 7 days a week. If you fall over dead from exhaustion they scoop you up , throw your carcass in the side ditch, swear up and down you never showed up and hire your replacement the same day. As long as they make their millions.

That's North Carolina for you.

[Greenhorn2]

11 minutes ago, TobaccoRoad said:

That's North Carolina for you.

Right to work or right to starve,  your choice. 

[tuff]

Construction here, and in order of being a major problem #1 is lack of help. I will take people that lack skills and teach them as long as they have a pulse and show up. Along with that it seems no young people are interested in learning a trade. #2 overall cost increase of doing business. We are throwing money at #1 just to have people show up, and the cost of everything from overhead to materials has gone up 30 to 40%. #3 supply chain issues which makes you happy to pay whatever it takes just to move forward.

Most people I know are not back in the office. A few are back maybe one or two days in office, and they rotate. Most people I know seem to really like the fewer office hours and seem to be maintaining production barring 1-3 above. It will be interesting to see what happens with office space demand over next few years, but I think it will somewhat permanently alter how people work. 

Covid is raging here. Mostly, from what I have seen, it shows as a mild to severe cold with mild or severe sore throat and some still losing taste. I have seen in my family and others, that those vaccinated, and especially if they have the boaster, the symptoms are mild and don't last as long.

 

John    

 

 

 

[Chas.Alpha]

Hey Tuff, construction here too. Materials and labor MAJOR problems. I have to schedule dumpsters a month in advance. I think I’m about ready to offer my “services” to Sarah the dumpster lady on the phone if I can get an extra pull this week!

Whatever it takes... 😳

[Nevrknow]

That begs the question I have been asking @tuff. What exactly are these young ones doing? Mine are grown or my grandkids ( no laughing from the peanut gallery. I don't FEEL old 🤣 ) are to young to work. So I have no "real" reference point.

They can't all go to college. My laborers make a hell of a lot more than some burger flipper. Mom and Dad footing the bills and ruining them? If so, I feel sorry for them God forbid something happens and they're on their own. 

 

12 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

Hey Tuff, construction here too. Materials and labor MAJOR problems. I have to schedule dumpsters a month in advance. I think I’m about ready to offer my “services” to Sarah the dumpster lady on the phone if I can get an extra pull this week!

Whatever it takes... 😳

A few extra minutes on the phone selling yourself helps alot in those situations. Or the girl at the inspection scheduling desk. If you can get them on a first name basis, and NEVER complain. ( He's so nice 😁).

Been doing this awhile too. They ask me how I get stuff done and I just smile.

Doesn't always work. But sometimes it pushes me to the top of the list. 👍

But if you HAVE to service her, remember, sweet voice on the phone means she has a " nice personality". Just saying.....

[DeskSmkr]

Found out today I have to either get third jab, or test every week, ruling from above outside organization, trickle down.

[Corylax18]

5 hours ago, traveller said:

The goal posts are moving, because it is a living virus. As the virus evolves the goal posts/guidelines must evolve, as does the scientific understanding, just at a much higher rate then most other healthcare related things, because it is a novel virus. How we treat cancer, our understanding of how to keep our hearts healthy has changed over the years, and people don't consider that moving the goal posts.

Learning about the virus as it changes/develops is not the same as changing the definition of "success". Record case rates, in areas with 65%-75% vaccination rates is not success, no matter how you try to reframe it. 

We TREAT cancer, we dont Vaccinate against it. So far, we haven't Vaccinated against Covid either. We've discovered a way to treat the virus and lessen its severity. In some variants. That's it. As I said in one of my earlier posts, I hope the new batch of Vaccines in development are Actually Vaccines and we can put this behind us. The current treatments that have been developed aren't even slowing this virus down, let alone starting to get rid of it.

I don't understand why anyone would even try to defend this disaster. Do you work for one of the vaccine manufacturers? I know money doesn't really mean anything anymore, but what a massive waste of 10s of billions of dollars. But we're sitting here 12 months later saying the same damn thing. "Man, I hope we get this shit figured out soon."

[traveller]

13 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

Learning about the virus as it changes/develops is not the same as changing the definition of "success". Record case rates, in areas with 65%-75% vaccination rates is not success, no matter how you try to reframe it. 

We TREAT cancer, we dont Vaccinate against it. So far, we haven't Vaccinated against Covid either. We've discovered a way to treat the virus and lessen its severity. In some variants. That's it. As I said in one of my earlier posts, I hope the new batch of Vaccines in development are Actually Vaccines and we can put this behind us. The current treatments that have been developed aren't even slowing this virus down, let alone starting to get rid of it.

I don't understand why anyone would even try to defend this disaster. Do you work for one of the vaccine manufacturers? I know money doesn't really mean anything anymore, but what a massive waste of 10s of billions of dollars. But we're sitting here 12 months later saying the same damn thing. "Man, I hope we get this shit figured out soon."

I think you're moving the goal posts, the vaccines were developed for the initial predominant variant for covid, and then Pfizer and moderna luckily also worked against the delta variant, likely due to its MRNA nature. - Whats to say these new "actual vaccines" won't also be less effective against future variants? There is literally no way to know. Especially as most of the world has effectively stopped responding in any attempt to seriously curb the spread of covid, new variants will continue to develop until who knows when.  

 

Our Austrian overlords here may grouse about the lockdown they suffer, but they only have 23,701 cases and 88 deaths per 1mil people, while the US has 175k and 2,521 deaths per 1 mil people, mostly likely due to their stricter lockdowns but also Aus has a 77.1% vax rate, the US 62.2%.

 

Vaccines only effectively work once a large majority of the population has been made immune talking 90- 95% +(because once you get that high the virus will be much more likely to die out before it has the chance to mutate) and that's if the virus doesn't change, which as a novel virus is going to be far likelier to mutate until it reaches a evolutionary homeostasis, you could make the argument if everyone had been more like Australia and waited to end lockdown until herd immunity there would be no Omicron.

 

There are vaccines for cancer, HPV for one, Cuba developed one for one of the forms of lung cancer. 

[Islandboy]

1 hour ago, Corylax18 said:

I don't understand why anyone would even try to defend this disaster.

I don’t even want to think of how much worse the world would be right now if the vaccine hadn’t been developed. Perhaps it should be renamed the Covid shot, like the Flu shot,  which needs to be administered on a regular interval to be effective at keeping influenza from becoming a pandemic, but does not eliminate it.

[Shrimpchips]

1 hour ago, Corylax18 said:

Learning about the virus as it changes/develops is not the same as changing the definition of "success". Record case rates, in areas with 65%-75% vaccination rates is not success, no matter how you try to reframe it. 

We TREAT cancer, we dont Vaccinate against it. So far, we haven't Vaccinated against Covid either. We've discovered a way to treat the virus and lessen its severity. In some variants. That's it. As I said in one of my earlier posts, I hope the new batch of Vaccines in development are Actually Vaccines and we can put this behind us. The current treatments that have been developed aren't even slowing this virus down, let alone starting to get rid of it.

I don't understand why anyone would even try to defend this disaster. Do you work for one of the vaccine manufacturers? I know money doesn't really mean anything anymore, but what a massive waste of 10s of billions of dollars. But we're sitting here 12 months later saying the same damn thing. "Man, I hope we get this shit figured out soon."

Vaccines only help to train an immune response so that IF/when your body does encounter the real thing it’s more prepared to fight it. It’s not actually to cure the pathogen or it’s effects on the body. It’s the “ounce of prevention” that’s worth a pound of cure.   Once you’ve got an infection, a cure is much much harder, as is the case for pretty much every disease. 
 
As for actual treatments, they’re very hard to develop, and harder to get them to work. 
I think something that most people aren’t appreciating is the unprecedented speed and scale at which a vaccine has been researched, developed and deployed.  There’s billions to be made if a cure for acute respiratory failure can be found, but so far we’ve thrown the kitchen sink at it, and nothing works so far. 
 

as for controlling the virus, we have a vaccine that helps to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality.  But enough people need to be immunized first. It took centuries to control and eliminate small pox.  We’ve only been at COVID and other coronavirae for a short time.  

[Greenhorn2]

11 hours ago, tuff said:

Construction here, and in order of being a major problem #1 is lack of help. I will take people that lack skills and teach them as long as they have a pulse and show up. Along with that it seems no young people are interested in learning a trade. #2 overall cost increase of doing business. We are throwing money at #1 just to have people show up, and the cost of everything from overhead to materials has gone up 30 to 40%. #3 supply chain issues which makes you happy to pay whatever it takes just to move forward.

Most people I know are not back in the office. A few are back maybe one or two days in office, and they rotate. Most people I know seem to really like the fewer office hours and seem to be maintaining production barring 1-3 above. It will be interesting to see what happens with office space demand over next few years, but I think it will somewhat permanently alter how people work. 

Covid is raging here. Mostly, from what I have seen, it shows as a mild to severe cold with mild or severe sore throat and some still losing taste. I have seen in my family and others, that those vaccinated, and especially if they have the boaster, the symptoms are mild and don't last as long.

 

John    

 

 

 

The problem I'm having is the one's that show up with a pulse don't want to learn, they just want the check.