Abalayan: When Covid-19 hits home

Abalayan: When Covid-19 hits home

COVID-19 strikes anyone.

No matter how keen you are on practicing the minimum public health standards when leaving the house, it will still make its way to you in your most unguarded moment.

Just like a thief in the night, the coronavirus comes unannounced without much fanfare. It is silent as it can be. Thus when you contract it from goodness where or from whoever, you just have to face it head-on.

Some would still be in denial when they start to manifest flu-like symptoms, they tend to self-medicate without seeking medical help nor do they get themselves swabbed.

That's where the danger lies and the spread of infection may continue if and when they become a Covid-19 carrier since they don't get tested at all. Oblivious to the coronavirus that's already in their bodies, they go on with their daily routine as if it's no big deal.

There is wisdom when health experts keep reminding us to practice minimum public health standards (MPHS) - wearing of face mask all the time, frequent handwashing, and social distancing.

As a family, we rarely go out of the house. Spending Christmas and New Year's Day with other family members (not members of our household) and relatives were the few times we socialized. We also attended the wedding of our church minister and his wife.

Then my husband manifested his first symptoms, a high fever at 38 plus, cough, and colds. The next day, he was checked up by our family doctor and diagnosed with tonsilar pharyngitis. Our doc even let me see his tonsilar stones. He was prescribed antibiotics from that day on. His fever was gone the second day he took his meds.

On the third day, since my husband's symptoms came out, our two sons also had a fever. But since I also had a cough, so I joined our children in the check-up the following day, the fourth day since my husband's first symptoms. Our eldest had pharyngitis, our youngest had acute bronchitis, and I got bronchitis. We then started taking antibiotics.

On the 10th day that my husband has been taking his meds, he got himself swabbed as it was required by his boss before he could report back to the office. We were anxiously waiting for the result. After over 48 hours, it came through a phone call that shocked the entire family. He was positive!

He has been isolating himself since his first symptoms and we all have been practicing MPHS at home. He tested positive even after his symptoms were gone.

He was fetched by the Rapid Action Team (RAT) two days after the phone call from the contact tracer. But in those two days, he was strictly isolated at home. So when he was at the isolation facility, our sons and I were also at home quarantine, continuing with our meds.

We are also glad to have been fully vaccinated. The vaccine protected us against the severity of Covid-19. My husband and I and our eight-year-old son also received flu shots last December.

We are thankful to God for our family, best friends, churchmates, colleagues, and husband's boss for their love, prayers, and support. Our Matina Aplaya barangay officials and staff from the City Social Welfare and Development Office delivered care kits at home. Our neighbors never made us feel alienated.

After my husband was cleared and discharged a few days later, our household will never be the same again. We have decided to continue practicing MPHS at home no matter how uncomfortable it is, especially wearing face masks. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

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