COVID Positive!

Well it was only a matter of time before I caught COVID once again, and today I am self-isolating, after testing positive for Coronavirus. I had been suffering from a tickly throat for a couple of days, just a niggly annoyance if I am honest, but due to the nature of my work, I was testing daily; each time, my lateral flow test was coming back negative. Not feeling too unwell, I carried on as normal, bought a tickly throat medicine and ate copious amounts of lozenges. Oddly, nothing was helping, and the mild symptoms just lingered and lingered. All the time, I continued to test every day, just to be sure, there was nothing going on.

This week, on Saturday, I was due to have a procedure in hospital, so it was important that I remained as safe as I could, constantly testing, social distancing and wearing a mask. Every time, the results came back negative, and I felt confident to prepare for hospital. However, on Monday this week, Darrell tested positive for COVID and I instinctively knew there was something wrong.

The new lateral flow kits only have swabs long enough for the nasal cavity. After quickly looking online and taking advice, I was told to try and swab the back of my throat as well as my nose, even though this isn't standard practice. Low and behold, I tested positive within seconds and immediately informed work.

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The rules on self-isolation have changed recently and despite my COVID-19 app initially telling me to quarantine for eleven days, it was only a guide to how long I would have to separate myself from the World. The new rules state that if I take a lateral flow test on day five and six, and they are both negative, I can return to work. I would need two negative results over two consecutive days, then my period of isolation would end immediately.

Today is my fifth day, according to 'Track and Trace' who phoned me this morning, informing me I probably caught COVID between the 14th and 18th of January. My guess is, they determined this after I did a PCR test yesterday, but I can't be certain. The gentleman on the phone asked me all the standard questions about whom I had been in contact with. He assured me, that even if I am still testing positive on the day I return to work, it would be safe to do so, since I would no longer be infectious.

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I am aware that a PCR investigation is no longer required, if you test positive on a lateral flow. However, in order to make sure I was actually infected with the virus, I wanted to do the more reliable laboratory analysis, especially after registering negative LFT's.

Yesterday morning I walked the short distance to the testing site and the temporary Portakabins, erected in the old Sainsbury car park on Commercial Road, Portsmouth, and did the test. Last night I received the news, I was positive and should continue to stay at home.

Tuesday was a particularly busy day, as I had to rearrange hospital appointments, thankfully with only a week delay. The lady on the phone was extremely helpful, even informing me I would not have to do a PCR test before attending my appointment. Initially, confused, I questioned this, only to be told, it wasn't necessary. Apparently, even though I would be free of Coronavirus on the day of my admission, I would still probably test positive on a PCR test. I would be able to bypass this element of my hospital stay and just attend at the new appointment time.

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With both Darrell and I self-isolating together, we are catching up on some much-needed sleep and rest. I am unsure which strain of Coronavirus I have, but the symptoms are extremely mild. I suppose I feel a little more tired than usual, and I have a tickly throat, coughing on occasion, but nothing more than that. If I am honest, I have had worse colds; the way I feel at the moment, is like nothing I have experienced before. In many respects I feel like a charlatan having to self-isolate, but I do understand the reasons why.

If I hadn't had my vaccinations and booster, I can guarantee I would be feeling a lot worse. Yes, I do feel out of sorts, but nothing bad or unable to cope with. By staying away from  people I am protecting others, but I am not sure it is entirely appropriate to quarantine for such a long time, especially when, like most people, I have to work for a living. Nevertheless, all of us do need to support the most vulnerable in society; if anyone in an at risk category caught Coronavirus, they may not be as lucky as me.

Today, I feel completely different to the first time I had to self-isolate with COVID symptoms, back in March 2020. Back then I lost my sense of taste and smell and isolated for seven days. I did have a few days when I wasn't feeling great, but nothing too concerning; this time, I feel like I have a very mild cold! Also, the anxiety, worry, and stress I suffered with back in 2020 is no longer there, as I just wait for the day I am able to return to work.

All being well, I should be out and about again on 31st January and in hospital on 8th February for my rescheduled appointment. Darrell and I are at least able to spend some valuable time together, despite being ill. As Coronavirus becomes endemic in Britain, there will be more times I will have to self-isolate I'm sure, unless, of course, the rules are changed once again. The hope is, life will return to normal and all of us will just have to live with the virus, making our own personal judgements on who to be in close contact with. The only concern I have, is the possible discovery of yet another new variant, that is more dangerous than Delta or Omicron, and we return to lockdowns and shutdowns. If things remain as they are, then hopefully we can learn to live alongside COVID and use our own common sense, showing respect for friends, family, and colleagues when we have to and enjoying life as we did in 2018. I pray it's the beginning of the end for self-isolation and I never, never have to do it again!