We were the first to get Covid in our group of friends and family at the end of July. I was able to inform people what it was like and how to prepare to have it. Since that post was helpful to some, I feel it is important to share what I've learned the second time around. Yes, we've now had Covid a second time!
Here's our second Covid summary:
Did you know that if you get Covid within 90 days of the first time, you DO NOT need to re-test or quarantine according to doctor or CDC recommendations? All you're supposed to do is stay home in you've had a fever in the last 24hrs. So we did. Then Phil returned to work, after discussing it with his boss. All CDC guidelines were followed and everyone felt fine with it. The kids and I were exhausted even though our symptoms weren't bad, and so we just simply stayed home.
Several days later, Phil couldn't get rid of the tickle in his throat which made him cough. The doc prescribed him a med to help stop it. He then took a turn for the worst. We decided to have him tested, even though the CDC says we didn't need to. After the test we realized it was actually the medicine making him sick. He stopped it and got immediately better. But it was too late. The damage of testing was now done.
The first time around, our tests were false-negative even though we had a textbook case of Covid. This time, our symptoms were much less, and the test was positive. Though the symptoms were less, we already knew it was Covid due to how we felt. There is no other illness that feels like Covid. It is unmistakable, if you are aware of what to look for.
Once you get a positive test and tell just three people, suddenly the entire world knows. Word travels fast and people treat you like you've got the plague. No one will trust that you are safe to be around. Doesn't matter if you explain the CDC quarantine guidelines and that you've followed them. All they will care about is the media hype, the 14 day quarantine from test date and the fact that this virus kills people. The media has done so well at scaring people. Yes, people die from Covid, but far more people are surviving it. How many? We will never know. Why? Most people don't get tested. I know several people right now who've had the exact same symptoms, or low grade short lived fevers who just think it is seasonal weather changes, a bad headache or a fluke, and so they don't get tested and continue to live life normally without a test or quarantine. That my dear friends is how this thing spreads like crazy. Kids do not get bad cases of Covid unless they have other medical conditions. Kids simply get a random rash, headache, low grade fever (often times doesn't go above the 100.4 line to be considered a REAL fever), or just the sniffles. These kids then pass it on to others.
We spent an extra seven days away from friends, family, church and work just to make others feel comfortable. It seemed so silly since we were cleared to go back to doctor offices for routine appointments and the health department said we were fine to return to society. The difference though is that these places know the true CDC guidelines, which go by symptoms and not testing date. (Testing date 14 day quarantine period is for people without symptoms.) For one week, we returned to normal life while avoiding those we actually knew. It seemed so odd, but it was one way we could show love to those in our lives, so we did it.
Through our last Covid experience these are the key things we've learned or have opinions about:
1- Know which vitamins are helping prevent & treat Covid. There are numerous studies & articles on them. If something as simple as getting extra vitamins can help you beat this, wouldn't you want to take them? I certainly do, and truly think they helped us not get bad cases though I will never know for sure. I do know for sure though that there is nothing wrong with taking vitamins, even if they don't help, so it doesn't hurt to try.
2- Know the CDC guidelines. There are different criteria for the quarantine period based on different situations. Technically, we didn't have to quarantine AT ALL since we'd had Covid within the last 90 days. These guidelines are easy to find on the CDC website.
3- Covid symptoms can mimic many lesser illnesses that do not need quarantining. This is how it spreads so easily. People don't want to admit it may be Covid because they don't want quarantined. They don't want to stay home and miss work. They don't want people to be scared of them. If you are going anywhere in public, you are with these people. They are everywhere. Personally, I'd be more afraid of them than the ones admitting they are sick.
4- If your friends and family see you sniffle, they easily blow it off as allergies, seasonal changes and things like that. The second you cough, they are scared of you. The second they hear the word Covid, they are scared of you. It is all in perception. Many people running around sniffling could have Covid and just not know it. Covid is FAR more prevalent than what the numbers on the news are showing.
5- The thing we have needed the most to get through this second round of Covid was grace. There were many days of frustration over our situation. Grace was needed in every single conversation we had with others. We sacrificed a lot, and giving grace was the most important factor in getting us through it.
6- Once you test positive for Covid, you will continue to test positive for 4-8 weeks. It is extremely rare to get a negative test before four weeks. This is why, if you have symptoms, you only need to quarantine for 10 days from first symptom.
7- We've been asked how we feel about vaccines now that we've had Covid twice. Clearly the antibodies are not enough to keep the virus away. We'll eventually build up enough naturally that Covid will just be like any other normal illness. Everyone will have to make their own decisions, but for us, we don't see the point in getting it.
8- Lastly, there is one benefit to getting a positive Covid test. You can help save lives. Plasma donations are greatly needed to help save those who are hospitalized. Each donation can help up to four patients. Each Covid donor can donate once a week for 12 weeks. That's potentially 48 lives that you can help save. So if you think you've got Covid, go get tested. A positive test is not just a way for them to track and quarantine you, but also a way to help save lives. For those worried about missing two weeks of work and things like that, think of it as missing two weeks of work to do good and help save lives.
