Items

• 
  2021-10-01

  My Breakthrough COVID-19 Case

  October 1, 2021, I woke up with a mild headache and a stuffy nose. I didn't think much of it—I had started drinking coffee again and needed a cup, and I’m mildly allergic to my own cats. My headache went away after I had my coffee, and my congestion ceased after I took my Claritin. After working remotely and basically not socializing for all of 2020 and up through August 2021, I was happy to be out and doing things again. In August, I started working and attending class in-person again, as well as spending time with friends. I still masked up and washed my hands according to guidelines, but it did seem like standards for that were slipping. I take public transit most days, and I’d seen a number of people who either weren’t wearing masks or not wearing them properly. But I still thought I was fairly safe since I followed COVID-19 recommendations, was fully vaccinated, and my campus has an extremely high vaccination rate (100% of students are vaccinated or have exemptions, and 98% of faculty/staff). So when I woke up experiencing what I thought were symptoms of seasonal allergies, I didn’t think anything of it. I went on a date that afternoon, and then out for drinks with friends later that night. I was very tired when I went home that night, but I chalked it up to how I’d over-committed myself in the initial euphoria of being able to participate in things again. Besides, I was sleeping better than I’d slept in years. The next day, my congestion was worse and I was coughing. I had an intermittent headache, but I assumed it was just a cold. One of my classmates that I sit next to had had one recently, and she’d tested negative for COVID, so I just assumed I’d picked it up from her. I remained congested and feeling gross that weekend, enough to call out from my shift on Sunday out of an abundance of caution, but I figured I’d be ready to be back by the time I had class and work again on Wednesday. But Monday afternoon I was working on some of my reading and realized I couldn’t smell the new (and very strong) candle in my living room. To test whether it was just the candle or whether it was me, I sniffed my perfume and finally even put peppermint essential oil right under my nose, and...nothing. Figuring that it was likely I had COVID at this point, I scheduled a test for the next day. I felt bad about having to get there—was it better to take an Uber or a train/bus? Which was safer for everyone involved? I ended up taking a Lyft, but I left the windows down and made sure I had cough drops so I wouldn’t cough. Once I arrived at the testing center (where I was the only patient), they got me through quickly and told me they’d be doing PCR testing and I could expect my results within a couple days. I called out of work for the week and let my professors know I likely had it. I woke up on Thursday morning to see my results had arrived, and I had tested positive. I called my school for contact tracing, and they notified the classmates I sit next to and my coworkers. I texted my friends I’d been out with Friday night and the person I went out with, and it was strange to feel almost ashamed. I had behaved responsibly, but I still felt as though I’d done something wrong in contracting COVID. And I was exhausted, tired of coughing, and just wanted my mom. I continued to improve, and I felt mostly better by the time my isolation period ended on the 11th. My sense of smell had started to come back, so I wasn’t as worried about a permanent loss there. I was a little concerned by the disregard for no-contact delivery I’d requested when getting food/groceries, but it had mostly been okay. My shifts at work had been given away, even though I was better and out of isolation by then. On the bright side, my cats were thrilled to have had me home that much, so at least it was a good experience for someone. Everyone I notified directly or via contact tracing tested negative, fortunately. When I started going back to things, I just wanted to scream on the train when I saw people not wearing masks or wearing them improperly. I still do, especially as the number of cases rises.
• 
  2021-05-25

  Breakthrough COVID-19 cases possible but rarity shows vaccine effectiveness

  This graphic shows the rates of infection and hospitalization for breakthrough infections for COVID-19 among vaccinated people (as of May 2021)