Since COVID-19 captured the attention of the world in the spring, it has steadily spread, affecting people of all age groups and all economic backgrounds.
Simply put, this virus does not discriminate and it will capture whoever it wishes.
I learned that the hard way recently, coming down with COVID-19 and being forced to isolate for 10 days away from my off-campus home.
Waking up one morning feeling off, I decided to get tested out of precaution. The following day, I got the 7:30 a.m. phone call informing me I was in fact COVID-positive. Later that day, I was on my way to isolation in North Hall.
People have asked me what it’s like? Well, I can say with complete honesty that it’s not fun.
While my symptoms were mild, they were still unpleasant: body aches, chills, slight fevers, loss of taste and smell and general fatigue rounded out 10 days of misery.
The best I can compare it to would be a very nasty flu where bursts of energy are matched by bursts of fatigue and weakness all in a span of an hour.
It was an odd experience to say the least. Being cut off from the world for 10 days and being confined to a room the same way someone under house arrest is confined to their home, unable to attend to any of the several commitments I have and being forced to only gain a sense of the weather by opening a window all made for an experience I won’t soon forget.
But overall, what was the main takeaway from this experience I had? What did I learn that I can share with others?
It’s quite simple actually — COVID-19 is real, and it can affect you.
I’ve seen far too many people attempt to downplay the severity of this virus from the beginning, and it’s led to some tragedies, such as businessman Herman Cain passing away over the summer after contracting it at a political event.
As someone who always understood the risks associated with COVID-19, I never realized its true consequences until I contracted it. I never thought it would get me until it got me.
Luckily for me, I didn’t have any preexisting conditions or other adverse health problems that could’ve made the situation worse.
However, that’s not always the case, as seen by the fact that over 210,000 Americans, mostly elderly Americans have sadly lost their lives to this virus.
Unfortunately, this virus isn’t going away anytime soon.
Dr. Anthony Fauci has said that it may be as late as this time next year before a vaccine is developed and ready for mass distribution.
The reality is, more people are going to contract this virus and more people will lose the battle.
However, we can as a society mitigate the damage and save lives. In order to do so, it requires very little of us as individuals.
Wear your masks, socially distance, maintain good hygiene and be vigilant, all things we are capable of.
If we continue to do those things and recognize the staying power of this virus, we can make the immediate future navigable.
The alternative is more isolation and more interruptions to life.
The choice belongs to us.

MICHAEL GUIDO

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