Depressingly, the easiest tactic is to keep piling on work, especially on remote workers. The manager won't be able to tell if you're genuinely stuck or slacki

Depressingly, the easiest tactic is to keep piling on work, especially on remote workers. The manager won't be able to tell if you're genuinely stuck or slacking off, and the benefit of doubt is likely to go against you if offices have reopened. So unless you truly can't make it to work, you'll likely go back once the majority have, regardless of your apprehensions.