Thread regarding Anthem Inc. layoffs

The health care system can not be setup to always be in a ready state for times of a pandemic. Vast majority of times ICU beds would be empty. Market dictates # of beds, just like it does most things. Actions need to be taken to reduce the strain on the health care system. That action can not be more beds, when a vaccine is available. “ They have to live, or die, with that choice.” - no vaccine then stay at home and stop using the healthcare system.

To act as if mutations and vaccinations have no correlation is nonsense. It’s not the same rate.

We are far from the richest country in history. Tax the 1% and get rid of the loopholes and we’ll see that debt shrink significantly.

Anti-Vax may be Anti-Science, but do not confuse that with Anti-Mandate. Most anti-mandate people are vaxed as well.

It is true that the unvaxed are hitting the hospitals far more than the vaxed. That's a choice that they made an a chance that they took by not being vaxed. They have to live, or die, with that choice.

However, they're not the sole cause of "flooded" ICUs and hospital rooms. Another major cause of that is the fact that hospitals have simply shut down 10's of thousands of rooms across the country. Boston alone, with it's many world class hospitals, has 900 fewer ICU rooms than it did just 2 years ago. And that's only their ICU rooms!

Freedoms are not being subsidized by hospitals and employers, trust me, they're getting their money in all of these COVID bills coming out of DC. Instead, those freedoms are getting subsidized on the backs of all of our grandchildren and great- grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Money isn't free. A trillion here, a trillion there, it adds up and we're not the ones who will pay for it. Continue on that course and we'll end up like Greece eventually. We're the richest country and history, and also, by far, the biggest debtor country in history.

COVID isn't going anywhere. It will continue to mutate, and hopefully, like with Omicron, each variant will be come less and less virulent. Note, that doesn't mean that it won't spread rapidly among any and everyone, vaxed or unvaxed, it just means that the symptoms will become less severe.

The vaccines, at least the current ones, do not protect you from getting COVID. They do not protect you from spreading COVID. Vaxed and unvaxed can get them and spread them at the same rate. That has been pretty well established now. They do protect MOST, not all, from getting more severe symptoms and from dying.

So that's your choice unvaxed people. You can choose to chance to live or die on that hill. I am anti-mandate. I am also vaxed. The two are not mutually exclusive. Be smart, get the damn vax.

Don't want the MrNA options? Fine, I agree they're not really "vaccines" in the true sense. I get your apprehension, although I got Moderna and am fine. You have other options, traditional vaccines like J&J or AstraZenaca. Heard bad things about J&J, then go for AstraZenaca, but get one of them!

I'm at the age where I go to enough funerals just because of age and other causes. I don't need to go to more because of COVID.

Anti vax = Anti science

Bottom line.

1. 90 percent of those dying from Covid are unvaccinated.

2. The unvaccinated ate flooding ICUs and are causing others to needing ICU care to die while waiting for a room.

3. The unvaccinated are forcing the government and employers to pay billions in unnecessary hospital stays.

Your freedom should not be subsidized by my hospital, government, and employer. It seems anti vaxxers are actually socialist

I work at a rival insurance company, same is happening with us. Good luck to the suckers that get stuck doing the work load of 3/4 people!

Insurance employee call out/pto days Nov 12 thru end of Nov. Stand in solidarity with in the industry!

Useless. I was going to post some facts - Then I recalled Mark Twain saying: "You can't argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience."

Vaccinated people can get covid. They can also pass it on. Unvaccinated people can get covid. They can also pass it on. The rapid testing is highly inaccurate and can’t distinguish between covid and the flu - the CDC is pulling its recommendation for use as of 1/1/2022. I know plenty of people who have gotten covid after vaccination. I know people who have died from covid after vaccination. I know nobody who had natural infection and was reinfected. Others have different experiences. Point being, you decide what your tolerance is but don’t expect everyone else to agree. You don’t dictate my medical choices and health and I don’t dictate yours. A vaccine does not prevent transmission. Vax or unvax, we’re on an even playing field for transmitting it.

The #1 predictor of a poor outcome is bad health - obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes - lifestyle related chronic conditions. The vaccine protects the individual. Health protects the individual. Choose wisely (for you) and move on.

There is no way around this - choose health, give your body and immune system a chance to do its job as intended. Get the vaccine if you want to. Don’t if you don’t want to.

It can take almost a week after exposure to COVID-19 to have a positive test result. Also the tests are $50-$100 each time. Vaccine costs $30-$40 a dose.

Financially and practically it’s not feasible to rely on testing for this many people and all the scenarios that can happen. Just getting in the office today can take 10 mins with a handful of people in the lobby. Add testing and half your work day will be spent waiting in the parking lot.

I agree with the original post….this would impact my area and I am hearing this from other towers as well. Are people thinking this through?

Why not just set up a testing option if you want to go into a building ? That seems reasonable

Once COVID numbers mimic the Flu numbers, then do what you want until then 💉.

You can't control others, so they make their own choices in life, either bad or good. If they decide not to be vaccinated and are let go by a company, they need to know that they will not get unemployment or keep their health insurance. If they are ok with that, then it is their choice. They can then find other work with a small company (under 100 employees) that does not require a vaccine to work there.

Or they can get vaccinated and quit worrying about all that.
If they are worried about having something put in their bodies that could be harmful, remind them that smoking, drinking alcohol, and caffeine are all toxic to the body and cause long term harm.

I won’t be coming back to a non vaccine workplace - so pick your talent.

Ive talked to at least 3 people and know 2nd hand of a lot of others in my org that don’t want it. I agree it will definitely hurt ops

"Where are these people going to work?"

There are plenty of companies that simply won't enforce or will provide a testing accommodation (Intel is one larger example). You think OSHA has the capacity to enforce this? They're already understaffed as is. This whole thing is a joke, and many companies know this and will happily take our talent. I've already seen them recruit with that in mind, esp. in Texas, FL, ID, etc. That's why this would be such d-mb move on antm's part when there's already difficulty recruiting/retaining talent.

Some of the folks I know are also retiring, starting businesses with other outcasts, or going to smaller shops. It will be a major talent swap between states/companies that bow and those that grow a pair.

Here’s what I don’t get about all of these mass exodus posts. Where are people going to go work? I’m asking earnestly.

Mandates are happening across industries. Where I live, you need vaccines to go to restaurants (restaurant owner driven, not state or health department), you need a vaccine to go to concert venues, and more. It’s more than work. So this isn’t something that employers like Anthem are “doing” to anyone! It’s not their choice which government regulations they comply with. It’s not like you can leave Anthem and have a lot of choices of a new employer where this isn’t going to be a requirement. So what’s the next move?

Yep, can confirm . At least 10 SMEs in my department alone. I don’t envy the decisions our leadership has to make but firing these people would be a grave mistake.