Pieter Wingelaar was looking forward to going back to work in his company’s office in Detroit later this month, after more than a year of working remotely.
With Covid-19 cases rising again because of the highly transmissible Delta variant and no requirement at his job for employees to be vaccinated, the financial-industry phone-sales officer said he is less sure about returning. “I don’t feel that comfortable about it,” said the 40-year-old, who is fully vaccinated and doesn’t have any pre-existing conditions.
With scores of U.S. companies planning to return to offices in full force in a few weeks, workers are trying to make sense of changing face-mask guidelines and rising virus cases, along with new research about how easily the virus strain can be transmitted. The calculations and recalculations of risk are leaving many stressed, upset or simply in limbo.
New and at times confusing guidance from health officials and employers on wearing masks indoors, and questions about whether vaccines will be required or not, have workers grappling with what to expect at work, or even whether to come in.
Mr. Wingelaar had anticipated working at the office without having to wear a mask, but now he says he might have to consider one. Though many workers posting on social media seem divided on vaccine mandates, plenty agree that wearing a mask at the office all day can feel pointless.
