Damned disease. I've been having some symptoms of 'Rona, but I've been having various symptoms for months. A little extra cough here, a little sore throat there. Nothing big. Especially since at work we've been tested every week since September. All negative results. Well, this week I was a little extra paranoid.
Like every week, I went in and got my 'nose tickle' on Tuesday morning. That evening I had a sore throat. Worse than before. Bad enough that, without saying anything at work to give my suspicions away, I made sure no one was within six feet of me for more than a few minutes. I guess we have to back up a little further as I go through my recollection.
Friday night. I was ready to leave at just after 4PM. I had my 80 hours in and was happy to leave 'early'. At just before that I got a call that the nurse on the other side of the facility was having a bad night. A fight, a sick guy in segregation... and a new positive COVID-19 patient. We have a new rapid test and while it's great, we have to fill out a spreadsheet each time we use it. Fill it out and send it to our boss', boss', boss. So she was freaking out and my boss called me and wanted me to go over and fix it. I close down my office and head on over with every intent to be out of there in 15 minutes. I figured go in, fill out the spreadsheet for her, let her vent a bit, and then head out. I'm not being a bad guy here, she's a good nurse and probably just needs some tech help and a shoulder for support.
Yeah, that didn't happen. I walk in and this newly diagnosed COVID-19 patient is in the middle of the clinic. Not the proper place for him, but I can understand her mistake. The problem is that I'm going to have to work right next to Sicky McSickerson here... and they don't have the personal protective equipment ready. No gown. No eye protection. No N95 mask. I can't get more than six feet from him and as she's doing more than freaking out, I'm going to be there for more than fifteen minutes. Understand, that's bad. Within six feet for more than fifteen minutes is our definition of close contact. Close contact means testing myself twice a day and getting a nose tickle at the beginning of every shift. I don't want that, but I can't leave her hanging.
Thankfully, after 14 minutes, I realize I have a key to the boss' office and she has a stock of N95 masks there. I go and grab one and just pray that I haven't actually been exposed. It's not like it really takes fifteen minutes... that's just the point where it's more likely to catch it than not. I end up being there for about an hour. I make sure to wash really well, change my clothes as soon as I'm home, and wash again really well.
The weekend goes by fine. My brother and I move my aunt's car out of the garage as its getting cold and Nina wants to bed down inside every night. Seriously, parking in a garage is glorious. No frost, no fog, no cold car. Moving the car does give me some body aches as... well, I'm just not a fit person and using muscles hurts. Anywho, the weekend is fine and Monday is fine. Now we're back to Tuesday.
I got my test, but was nervous about my symptoms. Our testing is really fast and I expected to get a result on Wednesday afternoon. My symptom list was headache, slight sore throat, congestion, body aches. No fever. The problem with this list is it looks just like the same seasonal cold I get every autumn plus body aches. And moving the car explains away the body aches. These symptoms also look like a classic COVID-19 presentation.
Well, Wednesday the test came back. Negative! I figure if I get through next weeks test I'll be able to say comfortably that I didn't get exposed on Friday night. But that night my brother told me about HIS symptoms. Headache, congestion, bodyaches.... and his sense of taste was diminished.
Fuck.
He then proceeds to tell me about his family (the portion that doesn't live with us) and how sick they are. And his friends and how sick they are. And co-workers, and how sick they are. Now I'm worried. Not about myself, but for my brother and niece (she's having the same symptoms including loss of taste). There's not much I can do except encourage my brother to go see a doctor... something he won't do without a lot of prodding.
Thursday at work is fine. My sore throat is getting more and more worrying, but I'm feeling okay about it. IF I get more symptoms or it gets more severe, I'll take a closer look at it. But until those happen I'm just going to focus on next weeks test. I get done with the day, head on out, get in Nina, check for any missed phone calls or texts and see one from my brother. "I am positive for COVID-19."
Fuck.
Right then and there, I've been informed that I'm a close contact. Our policy SHOULD be the same right? Double checks, daily testing... just keep an eye on it and see if I catch it. But no, our new policy which started like 4 days ago, says that if the close contact is living in the same home, you can't abide by that. It's a little fuzzy what it does mean, but at the very least, I have to quarantine from work for 14 days. 14 days from contact with the infected person. Umm... I live with the infected person. So if we got by most standards, the infected is considered contagious up to 10 days from the onset of symptoms or a positive test, assuming they don't get worse. So, if my brother doesn't get worse I'm a close contact of his for 10 days THEN I have to quarantine from work for 14 MORE days. 24 fucking days.
I of course called my boss. No matter how long I was going to be out, I was going to be out for the next few days and she needed to plan. She immediately went to the 24 day plan, as in "Oh no, we've lost you for at least 24 days now!" We chatted a bit then talked about what was next. I knew I'd have to email the human resources team (three staff members that have been working from home since April), and she suggested I include the warden and the director of human resources.
That was last night. I got immediate replies from two members of our human resources team stating that they were off until Monday. Nice. After I went to bed I got an email from the director of human resources stating "One of the members from my team will contact you and go over the protocol with you"
So, I guess I'll find out later today what the plan will be. At least what the plan will be if I don't get sick myself.
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