The breakthrough cases (quantity, severity) plus ability of vaxxed to spread, anecdotes of everyone knowing people getting sick, where we are with cases vs last summer, plus % unvaxxed in certain demographics within cities makes RTO seem quite untenable now.
Vax seems to protect against hospitalization & death from delta, but can very easily be laid up a week or two sick and have non-trivial respiratory issues.
Went into office last week 1st time, stunned to see 2019 style maskless floor with full density occupancy of desks. Attendance is being centrally coordinate & desk reservations required, so this was no coincidence or accident...
I go 18 months without eating indoors, shopping for groceries w/o mask, getting on a plane, etc and now I'm gonna sit on a crowded open office floor at 100% occupancy maskless 5 days/week? WTF.
NY offices seem to be ignoring that even if 80% of white collar staff they employ are vaccinated, the outsourced/building services staff are not. Not to mention the place you pickup lunch, coffee, and the cross section of people on public transit.
Some actual numbers from recent NYTimes/City official stats for even having 1 shot yet:
* NYPD 45%
* Black Bronx residents ~36%
* South Williamsburg ~35%
* MTA subway & bus staff ~45%
* NYC teachers (whose union demanded to be front of line but refuse a mandate) ~60%
* NYCHA ~38%
NY seems to be dragging their heals on this, some combination of BdB - Cuomo feuding, Cuomo busy with impeachment defense, return of in-person schools, and the Commercial RE/Bank/Dining industry pressures. As soon as City/State put an indoor mask mandate in place, it puts indoor dining, schools and offices into question all over again. So the tail is wagging the dog, as they say.