Test, and Test Again
MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH UPDATE
This is a quick, off-the-cuff update on our COVID story—and a response to the overwhelmingly kind and supportive notes, emails, texts, and calls from you all. One silver lining of the pandemic has been the new, unexpected, and warm connections born out of hard times. Thank you so very much.
After a rough 48 hours, my husband is doing much better today. The sore throat, head pain, and body aches have relented. He is participating in the monoclonal antibody trial at GW which is enrolling patients with newly diagnosed COVID-19. We won’t know for many months whether he got an intravenous infusion of placebo or the real deal, but right now it doesn’t matter. He is improving, and we’ll take it.
The kids, my parents, and I remain symptom-free and all had negative PCR tests on Monday. We tested again today and will hear back tomorrow. We remain optimistic but also realize we could get sick at any moment. The median incubation period (the time between exposure and onset of symptoms) is five days. Tomorrow is day five.
The God of Government Agencies must have heard my prayers because the CDC announced today its revised isolation and quarantine guidelines. The duration of isolation for people with COVID-19 has been amended: it has been shortened to 7 days if you have a negative test on day 7 (but is still 10 days without a test). The quarantine duration for people who have been exposed to COVID is no longer 14 days. After a high-risk activity (i.e. travel) or a suspected or known exposure to COVID, quarantine can end after 7 days with a negative test at or after day 7. Are these recommendations perfect? No. Is it possible to get COVID on day 10 after an exposure? Yes. But a PCR test should capture it. Upshot: be sure to talk to your own doctor before leaping back into your carefree pandemic life.
My family is still walking a tightrope, but we’re counting our blessings, too. We are well aware that my husband is only one person out of a million people diagnosed with COVID-19 this week, many of whom are very, very sick and many of whom will die. We have the luxury of each other (my kids might disagree), the ability to work from home, LOTS of food thanks to you all, and the warmth of our community’s embrace. It’s funny how it takes bad news to remind yourself just how damn lucky you are.
I will check in later on this week. Until then, be well.