By Dominic Yates, CVPost reporting intern
In the weeks leading up to my possibly having COVID-19, I could describe myself as one word: average.
I would always wear a mask going to public places, I kept my circles small and I had hand sanitizer at all times However, I stopped completely isolating myself when I returned to work in late May.
I found out on June 26 that two people I had seen very recently had tested positive for COVID-19. I was in a cabin with my immediate family when I received a call from one of them. He informed me that he had been tested and had just been notified he had tested positive.
Based on statistics provided by the American Council of Science and Health, I recognized that the COVID-19 death rate in people ages 15-24 was only 0.121 percent. However, what terrified me was not my safety, but that of the people I had around me.
I suddenly felt an enormous amount of guilt that I could possibly have spread around this virus unknowingly to those who mean the most to me.
Testing available quickly
Luckily, I was able to get tested for COVID-19 the same day at a Mayo Clinic testing facility. It was through this process that I realized just how efficient these testing facilities were. Within just an hour and a half, I was able to call, schedule and go to my appointment.
When I got to the facility, I didn’t even need to get out of my car as a nurse named Eve approached my driver’s side window. After getting some required information, she gave me my test.
The test itself was extremely uncomfortable, as a flexible swab was placed up my nose quite a way and twirled around. After the test, my sample was put in a bag and I was free to leave.
Waiting was by far the hardest part of the process. I spent two days in complete isolation in my home, constantly thinking about the possibility of being positive. I thought of the people I had been in contact with in the past week, and how many of them could have it right now because of me.
Results on the third day
After two nights of waiting, I was called on the morning of the third day. Despite my contact with two positive people, I had tested negative. Finding out that I didn’t have the virus was some of the most relieving news I have received in a long time, as I could finally know that my family and co-workers were not put at risk by my negligence.
Despite testing negative for COVID-19, I found out first-hand just how meticulous and cautious people who were tested were expected to be. On a phone call with the nurse, it was suggested that I still stay home until the 14-day quarantine expired.
In addition, I would be emailed and called semi-regularly by the Department of Health with questions regarding my current condition. Though I decided not to quarantine for the full two weeks due to my negative test, the impressive amount of effort from the Department of Health definitely made me feel safer than I had felt before I was in contact with them.
My quarantine and testing experiences have taught me so much, and have completely changed the way I perceive COVID-19. Seeing firsthand just how fast the virus can spread within the circle of just one individual, I have become relatively fearful of the recent COVID-19 spikes from late June to July. On July 14, Wisconsin reported that it had 964 new cases, the highest number since the state started tracking.
With what my close call with COVID-19 taught me, I will definitely approach my life with a higher concern for cleanliness and safety. My journey through the COVID-19 testing process has changed the way I approach the virus, whether at work or at home,
By staying as safe as possible, I hope that I can avoid both getting the virus and passing it on to anyone near me.
Dominic Yates is a rising senior at UW-Stout, majoring in Professional Communication and Emerging Media.
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