You bring up a great point... but I am thinking germs. Back in the day during the SARS outbreak, a few investment banker types either came down with SARS or we

You bring up a great point... but I am thinking germs. Back in the day during the SARS outbreak, a few investment banker types either came down with SARS or were caught up in the quarantine measures. The HK health authorities came in closed entire office seating sections (possibly even floors but I'm fuzzy on the details). Imagine how the quarantining measures would work in an environment where people sat wherever. "Oh today, I sit north side 7th floor, but tomorrow south side 8th, but 2 days prior I was on 6." Such chaos could easily prompt a building wide closure instead of an easily identifiable seating section.