Newly updated data from the CDC shows respiratory illness activity is increasing in the U.S. with COVID and flu hospitalizations rising and RSV hospitalizations stable.

Respiratory illness activity is elevated or increasing across most areas of the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In total, 15 states plus New York City are experiencing “high” or “very high” levels of respiratory illness activity, defined as people going to the doctor with symptoms from any respiratory disease including flu, COVID, RSV and the common cold.

COVID-19 and flu hospitalizations appear to be trending upward while RSV hospitalizations appear to be to be stable, the data shows.

  • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1220·
    11 months ago

    We’re a software dev, all WFH, but we have an office for getting together. Examples:

    Went in one day, few coworkers hanging around, mainly shooting the shit.

    Talking to a manager from a different group I found out 2 important things that I never knew, would have never thought to ask. That kind of organic conversation doesn’t happen on Slack.

    Sitting at my desk, I hear the guys in front of me discussing a thing. “Hey! My team was just talking about that this morning! Can you give us some insight on how that works?” Again, not a thing I would have heard on Slack.

    Can you deny that humans are pack animals? That we benefit from social interaction and die without it? This is Psychology 101.

    Or how about this? What’s more fun: Having a bunch of friends over for a LAN party or playing the same game online at your own homes? Which of those two options provides better collaboration?

    Say 2 people want a thing from me, both things are of exactly equal importance. Who am I helping first? The one I know personally, or the one I’ve only seen on Zoom?

    FFS, y’all can’t even admit there are benefits without going off on an anti-capitalist/anti-CEO rant. Even a statement saying, “Yeah, benefits, nah, not worth it.”, is anathema.

    • MTK@lemmy.world
      163·
      11 months ago

      Don’t you see how there are other options to literally everything you said here?

      I would spell it all out for you, but I believe you can do it yourself.

      Some people might benefit from it and some might not. There is no absolutes here. And no, not everything is for sure going to be helpful. It’s just annoying to think that going to the office is going to be always helpful and give some sort of benefit. It just isn’t true. For some situations and some people it might be.

      And the whole “humans are pack animals” thing, that’s just stupid. It doesn’t have anything to do with going back to the office. I can have my “pack” as friends and my work as work and these two don’t have to mix together. That’s just annoying.

      • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
        13·
        11 months ago

        You thinking I’m some sort of absolutist here? I didn’t say going in was always useful, some of us find it more annoying than helpful. But there are times when there’s a clear benefit.

        I can have my “pack” as friends and my work as work and these two don’t have to mix together.

        So you don’t view the workplace as a social situation? You don’t have any sort of on-the-job social interaction with your coworkers? You don’t think humans evolved to work together, built all kinds of rules and behaviors around that requirement? I honestly don’t know how to respond to that.

          • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
            11·
            11 months ago

            Doesn’t it?! I mean not 100%, but there’s a hella impact from physical association.

            Had a team meeting in Nashville last year. Despite seeing each other on Zoom daily, we were still strangers. After that? Everyone knew each other better, and that was nice. There was more comfort, camaraderie and respect. Looking someone in the eye and hugging them kinda works that way.

            Funny thing to your point, my “best friend” at the company and I were so tight, despite never having met in person, our boss said, “So, uh, you guys met before? Already know each other?”

            But that relationship took a LOT of afterhours calls and shooting the shit, plus just being compatible. Pretty unusual.

            One of the few guys I know from the office, when we had one, was the only person to come to my wedding. Think he would have done that if he had never sat down and ate lunch with me?

            • MTK@lemmy.world
              1·
              11 months ago

              Look, we can agree to disagree on this, I think that for some people the physical aspect is not needed for good and tight work relationships. Heck, some people date over the internet, which I think goes to show that there is no magical “this thing always is better then that”

    • lingh0e@sh.itjust.works
      8·
      11 months ago

      I’m glad you find value in your situation.

      I don’t necessarily share your opinions, as my situations have been entirely different. A majority of the office based jobs I’ve had could have absolutely been fully remote. Hell, I might have kept one or two of them for longer if they were remote.

      • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        11 months ago

        Were you under the impression that I have to go into an office? Just saying there are benefits, though WFH outweighs them.

        • lingh0e@sh.itjust.works
          3·
          11 months ago

          No. Was my brief post that confusing?

          I was under the impression that you found value in your situation… which is why I said that I was happy for you finding value in your situation.

          I was also under the impression that I didn’t find value in my return to work situations, and that the majority of the office jobs I’ve had can be done 100% remotely… which is why I said that I didn’t find value in my situations said the majority of the office jobs I’ve had could be done 100% remotely.

          Notice I didn’t make any comments about your shitty closing paragraph that is an out of hand dismissal of anyone who might have an opposing view?

      • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
        32·
        11 months ago

        LOL, right?! Lemmy, like reddit, has a hard-on for certain things, and one dare not propose any other angles or nuance. Not even if, in the end, you still agree!